Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 April 2018
36. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to set out the level of investment by his Department in CCTV since a commitment was given in the confidence and supply agreement to invest in CCTV; and to make a statement on the matter. [16784/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minister will recall that when our respective parties engaged in confidence and supply talks in Trinity College Dublin in 2016, we agreed that there would be greater investment by the Government in CCTV throughout the country. It is extremely important for the Government to be fully committed to this. Just as criminals use technology to advance their criminality, law-abiding people and the State's law enforcement agencies should use technology to ensure criminals are caught when they carry out their criminality. What is being done? How much money is being spent on CCTV? I ask the Minister to update the House on the Government's proposals.
As the Deputy has evidenced, A Programme for a Partnership Government commits to supporting investment in CCTV systems at key locations along the road network and in urban centres. Progress is being made with this commitment in a number of ways. In pursuance of this commitment, a community-based CCTV grant aid scheme was launched by the Department of Justice and Equality in April 2017 to help groups to set up community-based CCTV systems in their local areas. Under this scheme, which is being administered by the 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.
It is intended that the scheme will run for three years from April 2017 with funding of €1 million being made available each year. To date, four applications under the scheme have been approved, with approved funding totalling almost €120,000 and schemes to be established in Counties Wexford and Wicklow. A further four applications are under active consideration and another three applications have been returned to the applicants concerned to enable them to provide the information necessary to qualify for grant aid.
That scheme supplements the existing network of CCTV systems in operation in the State. I understand there are approximately 35 Garda CCTV schemes in operation throughout the State, comprising in excess of 500 cameras. In addition, there are approximately 45 community-based CCTV schemes in operation encompassing over 360 cameras to which An Garda Síochána have access, supported under the previous grant aid scheme funded by my Department. As a condition of the scheme, there is a requirement for prior support of the relevant local authority, which must act as data controller. This is a long-standing statutory requirement, set out in the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006. Full details of the grant aid package, including guidelines, application forms, code of practice and other relevant documentation, are all available to download from my Department's website, www.justice.ie. Guidance is available to help local groups in both rural and urban areas to apply for this important funding and I am keen to ensure that groups take full advantage of the availability of this funding.
As my party's justice and equality spokesperson, I attend a number of meetings throughout the country on rural and urban crime. Very large crowds attend those meetings and they are not turning up to see me. They are attending because of significant concern among communities both rural and urban in respect of crime. An issue consistently raised at these meetings is the necessity to have more CCTV cameras in the vicinity as they act as a deterrent. We can see in certain communities where CCTV cameras are used that they deter criminal activity.
Unfortunately, the scheme introduced by the Government is extremely laborious and complicated; it makes it very difficult for local communities to apply for it. For example, it requires the local authority to be the data controller in light of the General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR, which we will discuss later today. It also requires proof that the design of the CCTV system is acceptable to local residents in terms of location of equipment and privacy rights. It also requires proof that the applicant can provide the necessary funds to sustain the project for a five-year period. I note the Minister indicates there are approximately 35 Garda CCTV schemes in operation but we need more and the Minister needs to make it easier to apply for them.
I am in agreement with the Deputy and I am most anxious to ensure that all interested groups in both rural and urban areas take advantage of the availability of this grant aid scheme, with funding of €1 million per year for three years. The statutory parameters governing CCTV, including the longstanding statutory requirement for the local authority to act as data controller, is something I am anxious to ensure that applicants are familiar with. In this regard I assure the House that there has been extensive consultation with stakeholders, including the County and City Management Association, the Local Government Management Agency, Irish Rural Link and individual community groups interested in the schemes. I have, however, asked officials to look at options to publicise better the availability of the scheme. As I stated, support and guidance is available to help interested groups apply for the funding. I strongly encourage any interested groups to contact my Department for assistance. I am pleased to say a dedicated email address is available for this purpose, communitycctv@justice.ie.
The shortsighted decision to close rural Garda stations was very counter-productive and it has resulted in reduced confidence in rural communities in particular in respect of defence against criminal acts. One way by which they would be given greater confidence in local communities would be if the Government played a more proactive role in seeking to roll out a CCTV scheme for rural areas. We know many crimes committed in rural areas are by gangs using the motorways, coming to rural locations and attacking certain areas and leaving immediately afterwards on the motorway system. We need to ensure that people doing that type of criminal activity recognise that there is a threat that they will be apprehended by being spotted on a CCTV system. In order for this to work effectively, we need to have this run by An Garda Síochána. I know it is well intentioned for local communities to try to put a scheme together but it is extremely difficult for local people in communities to find the wherewithal to fill out the application form and come with part-funding for these schemes. We need to see this for what it is; it is an opportunity for An Garda Síochána and the State to defend communities against criminal activity and it should be rolled out on a more active basis by the Government.
The Deputy referred to the road network. I can confirm that services under the Garda safety camera contract commenced last May and provide an annual minimum of 90,000 hours of monitoring and surveying vehicle speed across over 1,000 designated safety camera zones. It should be noted that expansion of the use of technologies, including CCTV and automatic number plate recognition, is included under the Garda Commissioner's modernisation and renewal programme. The intention in this regard is to utilise modern technology to identify key criminal and terrorist targets and to enhance community safety. These developments are underpinned by significant Government investment, with €205 million in additional funding for Garda ICT, as well as approximately €46 million to provide An Garda Síochána with additional high-powered vehicles to ensure that gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent, detect and tackle crime in communities.
