Under the new data protection laws that were enacted, an issue came to light last night at a meeting of the community alert group in Kanturk, County Cork regarding the information captured by the closed-circuit television, CCTV cameras, which were installed at considerable expense by the State in communities across the country. The meeting was about deterring crime and allowing people to feel safe in their own homes and communities but it now transpires that there is no home to store that CCTV footage. It cannot be stored with the local authority or the Department of Justice and Equality. The information is not available in a way that would help to ensure the system provides a suitable deterrent to crime for all communities, in particular rural communities. In light of the fact that the Department funded much of the investment in these facilities, they seem to have been futile.

I would be happy to engage on a bilateral basis with the Deputy. There appears to be a form of misinterpretation or misunderstanding as to the operation of the scheme. A number of conditions that must be complied with have been laid down in legislation. I am not sure if the Deputy is adverting to any particular scheme. I suggest he may be but a number of applications have been successfully processed through my Department, and my officials are willing to assist in any way to ensure the conditions of the scheme are fully complied with and understood.

Is there an issue with data protection?

The Minister will engage with the Deputy directly so I think that will get the matter resolved.