Vol. 552 No. 3
167 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has received an application for the provision of closed circuit television in Portlaoise, County Laois; and if, having regard to concerns of business and individuals on the matter of public order, approval will be given as soon as possible. [12476/02]
I am informed by the Garda authorities that an application for a Garda CCTV system in Portlaoise town has been received by the advisory committee that was established by the Garda Commissioner to evaluate applications for Garda CCTV systems. The application from Portlaoise is currently under consideration – together with applications from other cities and towns throughout the country. Garda CCTV systems are currently in operation in the following areas: Dublin (North Central) – O'Connell Street and its surrounding areas; Dublin (South Central) – Grafton Street and its surrounding areas; Tralee, County Kerry.
A Garda CCTV system is currently being completed in Cork city and I understand, in this regard, that most of the cameras in the system there are now fully operational.
I announced late in 2000 that the number of Garda CCTV systems were to be extended. As part of the first tranche of this expansion, town centre systems are to be installed in the following ten areas: Athlone, Bray, Clondalkin, Dundalk, Dun Laoghaire, Finglas, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Tallaght. Contracts for the installation of CCTV systems in Bray, Dundalk, Dun Laoghaire, Finglas, Galway and Limerick, have now been awarded and it is intended that the systems will be in place by the end of the year.
The planning in respect of the town centre CCTV systems for Athlone, Clondalkin, Waterford and Tallaght is well advanced and it is expected that tenders will be invited via the EU Journal and the national newspapers soon.
Work on installing Garda CCTV systems in a further seven areas – Ballyfermot, Carlow, Castlebar, Clonmel, Ennis, Kilkenny and Sligo, will also commence in 2003. This will bring the number of areas where Garda CCTV systems are to be extended to by 2003 to 17 in all.
I also plan to introduce a grant scheme to cater for those communities who would like to press ahead on their own with a local CCTV system. While it will be up to the local communities to install and monitor the CCTV schemes, grant assistance will be provided. The details of this new scheme are being finalised and full particulars including relevant conditions and grant levels etc will be announced soon.
