Failure to guarantee future funding of CCTV network in Limerick risks a return to past violence
Failure to guarantee future funding of CCTV network in Limerick risks a return to past violence - The Labour Party
Limerick Labour TD Conor Sheehan has said that the Government’s failure to guarantee the future funding of the live monitoring of the CCTV network in Limerick risks a return to the feuding violence of the past. Deputy Sheehan was speaking after raising this issue with the Taoiseach for the 5th time in the Dáil.
Deputy Sheehan said:
“At the end of this year, the live monitoring of the CCTV network in Limerick will cease due to a funding shortfall of €660k that previously came from the Department of Housing through regeneration.
“I have been raising this issue for nearly two years, the local authority does not have the resources to plug this funding gap nor can it come from the Mayoral Fund.
“These cameras are instrumental in keeping communities across Limerick safe. They were put in place because of a violent feud where two children were burnt in a car twenty years ago.
“Gardaí have been crystal clear that they need the live monitoring of these cameras to continue in order to police the city and county. Each camera with the live monitoring turned off effectively amounts to the loss of 20 Gardaí.
“The Minister for Justice has repeatedly ignored this at every juncture. He has failed to meet the Limerick Oireachtas members, he has failed to meet the Mayor and the Príomh Comhairleoir of the Council and he has ignored every single request for meaningful engagement on this.
“In fact this morning, he didn’t even turn up at the mayoral forum or even send his apologies.
“If we do not find a funding solution to this issue now, then we risk a return to violence in Limerick.
“Drug debt intimidation is an epidemic in this country and Gardaí need the live monitoring of these cameras to tackle this in Limerick.
“I am calling now for the Minister to meet the Mayor and Oireachtas members to find a funding solution to this.”