Kildare South Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon has welcomed the confirmation by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan of additional funding towards Community CCTV schemes and Text alert groups. The Minister confirmed the amounts at the Ploughing last week.
“As a member of Kildare’s Joint Policing Committee sub-committee working on a new policy for CCTV schemes in the County I can see the huge benefit to community CCTV schemes around Kildare South. Up to €1m will be available for each of the next 3 years to assist local communities who wish to establish a CCTV scheme in their area.
“Myself and my fellow Fine Gael Cllrs met Minister Flanagan in the Dail in July to discuss this scheme and see how it could benefit Kildare communities. This confirmation of funding now available is a further incentive for local communities to get involved with the scheme which merges new technologies with the traditional custom of community involvement in tackling and reporting crime.
The Minister also announced a further rebate scheme for local Text Alert Groups for 2017. The scheme which also ran in 2016 will allow Text Alert Groups registered with An Garda Síochána to apply for funding to contribute towards their yearly running costs.
“€100,000 in funding is available for local communities who run the very effective text alert schemes which will go towards the costs associated with running the local schemes.
“I know as well as anyone the positive impact text alert groups are having on rural communities and I have been updating the Minister on the excellent work being done here in Kildare by locals in tandem with the hard work of the local Garda Síochána.
ENDS
Note for editors
The Community Text Alert Groups rebate scheme will once again be operated by Muintir na Tíre and details of how to apply for the Scheme are now available on their website www.muintir.ie.
The funding for Community Text Alert Groups made available this year will be reviewed again in 2018, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, as the Government continues to support crime-prevention measures in communities.
The provision of a community-based CCTV scheme was a Programme for Government commitment and also an action point contained in the Action Plan for Rural Development. Applications under the scheme can be made to the Department of Justice and Equality.
The application form and explanatory material are available for download on www.justice.ie. 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. Upon approval of the grant, the applicant will receive an up-front payment of 50% of the grant with the balance to be paid when the system is fully operational.
Muintir na Tíre will also be launching a new app called ‘Cairde’ in conjunction with An Garda Siochana at the National Ploughing Championships. Cairde enables communities, and individuals within communities, to communicate effectively. It incorporates many practical tools such as the ability to receive Garda Text Alerts, and includes a panic button function which can monitor responses in real time.