Closed-Circuit Television Systems

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Ardagh, for coming here this morning. It is good to have someone from the actual Department. This feels to me a bit like Groundhog Day because it is my fourth time raising this issue. It is my second Topical Issue Debate, and I am effectively going to say the same thing I said ten months ago, so I sincerely hope that the Minister of State's Department has not given her the same reply as they gave another Minister ten months ago. There is a comprehensive network of CCTV cameras in Limerick, 240 of which are monitored live. They were put in place for a specific reason, that being, we previously had a very violent feud in Limerick. They were put in place because, ten years ago this month, two children were burned alive in a car in Moyross. These cameras are stationed explicitly mainly in the city's four main regeneration areas, namely, Moyross, Southill, Ballinacurra Weston and St. Mary's Park. They were initially funded through economic social intervention funding through the regeneration process through the Department of housing. Regeneration has now concluded. That funding is being progressively wound down, which means there is a funding deficit every year to fund the ongoing live monitoring and maintenance of this camera network. Last year, thankfully, the Mayor, John Moran, stepped in with his mayoral fund and plugged the gap of last year's funding deficit. He did that on the basis that he was asked by the Minister of State's Department and by the Minister for justice effectively for more time to deliver a permanent funding solution. We are now nearly a year on from that and a funding solution has not been forthcoming. This year, State funding is going to drop to €550,000, leaving a €660,000 shortfall that our local authority cannot absorb. The issue is that, when I raise this issue, I get a response from the Minister of State's Department that intimates that I might be talking about community CCTV and that the Department can only fund CCTV up to €40,000. The issue here is that we have a specific, almost bespoke, case in Limerick because, unfortunately, we have had quite significant violence in the city. The cameras have been transformative. There is a 70% prosecution rate with them. The tragic murder of Rose Hanrahan was effectively solved because the perpetrator was apprehended through the cameras. The chief superintendent and An Garda Síochána have been clear this is one of the most important tools they have to carry out their day-to-day duties. If the Minister of State turns these off, she might as well take 20 or 30 gardaí and bus them back to Templemore. This is something we have cross-party consensus on. My colleague, Senator Ryan, raised it in the Seanad recently. Deputy O'Dea raised it with the Minister, Deputy Chambers, recently and the Minister said he would endeavour to make sure the cameras do not have to be turned off. A working group was supposed to be set up last year to deal with this issue. I would like to know, though maybe the Minister of State will have to come back to me with this, how many times that working group met. What were the outcomes of those meetings? I cannot get that information through parliamentary questions. Will the Minister of State and her Department agree to meet with Oireachtas Members from the mid-west and with the Mayor to find the solution to this? Will she agree, at least in principle, that the cameras cannot be turned off and that it would be detrimental to public safety and confidence in policing locally?

I thank Deputy Sheehan for raising this matter. He said he has raised it on numerous occasions in this House. He outlined the huge success rate of CCTV in Moyross and Limerick. CCTV across the country makes us feel more secure in the community and in our own homes. Community safety is a top priority for me, with delegated responsibility for youth justice, and for my Department. Everyone has the right to feel safe and free in their communities. Community CCTV plays a huge role in achieving this. CCTV in public places gives people a greater sense of security. It is also effective in deterring criminal activity and antisocial behaviour and in assisting with the investigation of crime. The consideration and operation of community CCTV is a matter for the local authority concerned. As Minister of State, I have no role in the day-to-day operation of local authorities. Updates on individual schemes should be sought from the relevant local authority. CCTV infrastructure across the city and county continues to support community safety, assist Garda investigations and deter criminal activity and antisocial behaviour. I am aware of concerns regarding future funding arrangements for the Moyross CCTV scheme. It is not straightforward in terms of who is responsible for the funding. The majority of funding for this scheme was previously provided through the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, together with significant support from the mayoral fund. In August 2025, a business case was submitted to the Department of justice seeking funding for the retention of the Moyross CCTV scheme after the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage indicated its intention to reduce its financial contribution over time. In September 2025, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, wrote to the Commissioner stating that the Department could not provide funding as the business case and application did not fall within the scope of the community CCTV scheme. The Minister met with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne, and the Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, in November 2025 to discuss future funding arrangements. Following those discussions, a decision was taken that funding for 2026 would be provided through the mayoral fund. My Department's position remains that the Moyross scheme should either continue to be funded, directly or indirectly, by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, or be funded by the Mayor’s office or Limerick City and County Council. I recognise the value placed on the scheme locally. Information provided by Limerick City and County Council points to extensive use of CCTV footage in Garda investigations and highlights the importance of the system in supporting public safety and criminal prosecutions, particularly where witness intimidation has historically been a concern. I note the Deputy's asks on the working group, how many times it has met and the outcomes. I will have to come back to him on that. I will make a note of that today. I will also pass on his request for a meeting between Limerick Oireachtas Members and the Minister. In relation to a commitment that the CCTV will not be turned off, as a junior Minister in the Department, I cannot give a full commitment today but I will come back to the Deputy. As the funding is at the moment divvied out by the Department of housing and the mayoral fund, maybe he is asking the wrong Department but I will come back to him with an answer on that.

My frustration is that the Department of housing and the Department of justice seem to be operating in silos in relation to this. They do not seem to talk to one another. We are talking about €600,000 per year to plug the gap and ensure the continuation of this service. The irony is not lost on me of Government putting €58 million directly into infrastructure for the Ryder Cup, while we are talking about the live monitoring of the CCTV network that keeps the people of Limerick safe - not just Limerick city, it goes into Limerick county as well. The Minister for justice often talks about his belief in high-visibility policing, yet he is effectively going to allow An Garda Síochána in Limerick to be blindfolded if the live monitoring ceases. This is incredibly serious. We have a feud bubbling up, particularly in the Ballinacurra Weston area. It needs the cameras. Cameras are very effective when gardaí get reports from communities. The Minister of State represents a similar type of constituency. People are not inclined to come forward with specific reports when incidents occur but when gardaí check the cameras, they clearly see what has happened. I do not want the people of Limerick to become collateral damage in a game of ping-pong between the Department of housing and the Department of justice. The Department of housing constantly states its position is that ESIF funding is gone, regeneration has concluded and, because of that, it no longer has a vehicle through which to fund it. Could we not at least sit down with all the relevant stakeholders to see if we can find a solution to this and allow the live monitoring to continue, so the safety of the people of Limerick is not put at risk?

I represent a similar constituency with significant intergenerational disadvantage and intergenerational trauma. We do not have widespread CCTV in Dublin South-Central but I can absolutely see the benefit of it. The Deputy makes a compelling case for ensuring this deadlock in relation to funding is overcome. I will be certain to pass on his requests to the Department. The Government is progressing nationally a new framework for the authorisation and operation of CCTV schemes through Part 5 of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023. This will provide a modern and consistent legislative basis for CCTV schemes with clear responsibilities for An Garda Síochána and local authorities. The Deputy will not have to come into the House and try to mediate who will be paying for this CCTV scheme. I am pleased the legislative and operational work required to support commencement is expected to be completed within the next few weeks. The new framework will support the continued development of CCTV as an important community safety tool and provide greater clarity on the operation of CCTV schemes. I recognise the important contribution CCTV infrastructure makes across Limerick, including the Moyross scheme, and the value local communities place on such schemes. I welcome the engagement that has taken place between all relevant stakeholders regarding future arrangements. I look forward to continued co-operation between my Department, An Garda Síochána, Limerick City and County Council and other stakeholders to ensure CCTV infrastructure across Limerick continues to support safer and stronger communities into the future.