Community CCTV Systems Extended to 2020 – Heydon

Grants for Community CCTV systems nationwide have been extended for another year, a Fine Gael TD has revealed.

Deputy Martin Heydon has received confirmation from Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan that the three-year-old scheme for community CCTV will be made available for all groups in 2020.

“Since 2017, the Department of Justice has administered a grant scheme for communities who wish to install CCTV schemes in their areas.  So far, 22 applications have been approved in counties Leitrim, Sligo, Wicklow, Wexford, Limerick, Monaghan and Carlow. The total investment comes to €560,000,” Deputy Heydon, from Kildare, said.

“The grant allows community groups to apply for up to 60% of the total capital cost of a proposed CCTV scheme, up to a maximum of €40,000 and was recently expanded to allow funding for extensions or upgrades of existing schemes.  A once off grant of up to €5,000 for minor maintenance costs is also available to eligible groups,” Deputy Heydon said.

“The low take-up of the grant to date can be attributed to difficulties experienced by many groups around the country in establishing such schemes while resolving technical difficulties involving data protection.  The grant scheme was due to end in December 2019, but I am delighted to see it extended by Minister Flanagan.

“I discussed the issues in detail with Minister Flanagan and sought an extension of the grant scheme from him which he has now confirmed.

“In Kildare, I am happy from my discussions with Gardaí and Kildare County Council that progress is being made on the schemes and many of the details around protocol and data protection have been addressed.

Grant funding can be considered only for CCTV systems which meet the legal requirements for CCTV, in other words CCTV systems which have been approved by the relevant Joint Policing Committee, the relevant Local Authority (also acting as Data Controller) and which have received the authorisation of the Garda Commissioner.