The programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce CCTV systems in key locations nationwide. The community CCTV scheme was launched with great fanfare and excitement on the part of the joint policing committees, JPCs, and communities at large. I have in front of me a letter from Cavan County Council, whose members passed a resolution last Monday asking that the Minister for Justice and Equality reform this relatively new scheme. Although the Government allocated more than €1 million to the scheme to be spent over three years, I believe only four applications have been successful, at a cost of €120,000. JPCs across the country, including those I know locally in Cavan and Monaghan, are completely frustrated with the issue of data protection and the question as to who is ultimately responsible for it. The scheme is devised for communities yet the application process is tedious, lengthy, complex and certainly not easy for communities to engage with. The situation will not improve until there is a clear pathway given as to who is responsible for holding the data. That has to come from the Minister for Justice and Equality and his Department. That is where the frustration lies and we see nothing happening on the ground at the moment. Will the Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to give clear direction as to who is responsible for the data?

I thank the Deputy for acknowledging that the scheme was launched and €1 million allocated to it. As representatives of rural communities, she and I both know it is desperately needed, particularly in areas where we do not have Garda stations. I can only speak for my own neck of the woods, as Deputy Smyth can for her county. In my experience, some of the initial difficulties were around privacy issues. When we got over those issues with the county council, a secondary issue arose as to who was the data holder. With the advent of the new GDPR legislation that came from Europe this year, under which we are all probably still floundering as to exactly what responsibilities we have, the issue needs to be teased through by the Department to make sure we get an accurate reflection. Unfortunately, that will delay things somewhat. I would be loath for anybody to think they had the answer to this without it having been checked out by the Data Protection Commission, with which the Department of Justice and Equality is liaising at the moment. In the interim, I will try to find out how soon a response is expected so at least we will all know where we stand.