Thomas Byrne
Question:24. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a scheme for the delivery of CCTV cameras at the junctions of motorways will be established. [28906/18]
View answerThursday, 5 July 2018
Questions (24)
Written answers
This Government is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources required to carry out the organisation’s duties and this is evidenced by the increased allocation of resources to An Garda Síochána in recent times. Some €1.65 billion has been allocated to the Garda Vote for 2018. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution and allocation of Garda resources.
The Deputy will be aware that the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government is to support investment in CCTV systems at key locations along the road network and in urban centres. This commitment is being progressed in a number of ways, including in particular through the Community CCTV grant-aid scheme administered by my Department.
The intention is to support local communities who wish to install CCTV systems in their localities, including access roads to their areas where necessary and appropriate. Under the scheme, which is being administered by my Department, eligible community groups can apply for grant-aid of up to 60% of the total capital cost of a proposed CCTV system, up to a maximum grant of €40,000. Full details of the grant aid package are available to download from my Department's website - www.justice.ie.
That scheme supplements the existing network of CCTV Systems in operation in the State including both existing Garda and Community based CCTV schemes. For example, there are some 35 Garda CCTV schemes in operation throughout the State comprising some 523 cameras. There are also some 45 Community-based CCTV schemes in operation encompassing some 367 cameras to which An Garda Síochána have access, established under the previous grant-aid scheme funded by my Department between 2005 and 2013.
Joint Policing Committees play an important role in the establishment of Community CCTV schemes - indeed their approval is one of the statutory requirements for establishment of any community CCTV scheme. In this regard the Deputy may find it useful to engage with his local Joint Policing Committee.
In addition to the Community CCTV scheme and as the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Safety Camera Contract, GoSafe will provide an annual minimum of 90,000 hours of monitoring and surveying vehicle speed across 1,031 designated safety camera zones.
Further, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology is fitted in a number of official Garda vehicles which are allocated around the country and used on a daily basis to assist in the prevention and detection of crime, particularly on our roads network.
The Garda Síochána Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016 – 2021 ("MRP") has identified a number of areas for expansion of ANPR including:
- increasing the number of ANPR units deployed;
- the addition of more ‘watch-lists’ in order to remove a greater number of dangerous drivers and defective vehicles from the roads;
- examining the introduction of fixed ANPR sites at strategic locations across the roads network, in addition to using portable ANPR units while patrolling;
- working with the National Roads Authority, Port Authorities, Local Authorities and private car park operators in order to access data from their ANPR systems, as well as CCTV systems operating on the motorway network.
The MRP also sets out key strategic objectives for road policing which will inform and guide An Garda Síochána's road policing plans over the next 5 years. Under the Programme, the Commissioner will undertake a number of road safety traffic enforcement initiatives, including expanding the use of technology and increasing checkpoints.
Finally and more generally, the Deputy will be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government recognises that Gardaí must have the modern technology and resources necessary to detect and investigate crimes, and to prevent loss and harm to citizens and their property on a 24/7 basis. Some €342 million, including €217 million under the Government's Capital Plan, is being invested in Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021 to enable An Garda Síochána to utilise appropriate technologies in delivering professional policing and security services for the community.