Blake Welcomes Movement on CCTV
August 2nd, 2005Mayor of Letterkenny, Damien Blake, has welcomed the recent movement towards a community-based CCTV system for Letterkenny. Speaking at the weekend following a meeting last week with representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and the Gardai, Cllr Blake highlighted the work done to date by a variety of groups and organisations in the town.
“CCTV has been on the agenda for Letterkenny for some years, but various difficulties have held up the plans in the past. Previous councils have been frustated in their efforts to get a system up and running. By working in a partnership approach, we hope to submit a succesful application to the Department of Justice on September 15th which could see Letterkenny receiving up to 100,000 euro in Government funding.�? 30% of the total project cost would have to be funded locally, most likely coming from the budget of the Town Council.
The Chamber of Commerce has conducted feasibility studies into CCTV recently, and has highlighted the need for a six-camera system which would be centrally monitored. Gardai would then have access to the system as required.
Cllr Blake highlighted the work done over the years by Letterkenny Town Council and Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce, particularly Town Clerk Paddy Doherty and Chamber of Commerce CEO Joanne Sweeney.
Cllr Blake continued “Letterkenny would clearly benefit from a CCTV system. Research across the country has shown that towns which benefitted from the first round of funding have seen significant decreases in crime levels, and Letterkenny deserves to be part of that. It is disappointing that previous efforts have failed, but we now stand on the verge of getting an application submitted. We have never been closer to seeing this funding made available, and I am sure that the Town Council, working with the Chamber of Commerce and Gardai, will see it through.