Frustration building over Roscrea and Borrisokane Garda CCTV delay

Delays in acquiring official ratification from the Garda Commissioner's office for camera systems to assist Gardaí police the roads in several towns and villages in Tipperary is resulting in palpable anger among local communities, elected representatives have warned.

Very well supported fundraising campaigns to lay the foundations for installing Garda CCTV campaigns in Roscrea, Borrisokane and Littleton indicated the strong desire among the community for the technology to assist Gardai - but the years long wait for tangible results after funding the cameras is causing frustration.

Numerous stumbling blocks halting progress have been overcome in Roscrea, where GDPR constraints, positioning cameras on OPW protected sites and planning regulations presented issues. The campaign to install Garda CCTV cameras gained massive local support in May of 2017 after an elderly couple suffered a vicious attack when burglars entered their home. 

Deciding what type of technology would be best deployed was also a delay, where choices between cloud based and hardwired systems and where and whom can access the location where footage is collected and stored also presented problems. The varying camera systems also incur different levels of cost for installation and maintenance depending on how they work - with a final decision on what system would best suit Roscrea agreed upon last year.

After overcoming all the logistical and funding issues and completing several surveys, the committees who drummed up local financial support among the business community and local people are waiting for official approval from the Garda Commissioner.

Recently Clonmel received JPC approval for the installation of 52 additional cameras, bringing the entire system currently operational in Clonmel to 86, which was presented to the Garda National CCTV Advisory Committee for approval.

The issue of the very slow pace of progress has been raised at several meetings of the Tipperary Joint Policing Committee, where Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Noel Coonan has pressed top ranking Gardaí for answers on when the camera systems will be put into service.

The issue was raised again at the monthly meeting of Tipperary County Council in Clonmel on Monday, when Cllr. Sean Ryan said communities have been left waiting a long time.

"Communities like my own in Littleton and those of other Councillors in North Tipperary are located very close to motorways and it is something we do need in case our communities are targeted by criminals", Cllr. Ryan said. 

This was echoed by Cllr. Ger Darcy: "We have raised this at the most recent JPC meeting with Chief Superintendent O'Sullivan and he assured us that progress is being made and we are getting there, but by golly it is slow and we really need to see some progress on the ground.

"The local communities have done all the heavy lifting so far and they need to see some progress to keep their enthusiasm", Cllr. Darcy said. 

Brian Beck, Director of Services for economic, community and rural development, told the meeting that he recently completed a funding proposal for the camera systems installation and maintenance for the Garda Commissioner's office.

"I will suggest to the Chief Executive that we have a workshop for CCTV before the summer break where we can take the member's views and finalise it over the summer. Decisions will have to be made in terms of what is there and what is coming down the line and I've broken that down with the funding implications of it.

"We haven't heard anything from the Garda Commissioner. I think there is  general frustration from all communities around the country over the delays and as soon as we hear anything we will let the elected members know", Mr. Beck said.