The delay in the rollout of CCTV in areas across Tipperary has been raised once again at a meeting of the County Council.
The long awaited system is seen as a major weapon in efforts to tackle rural crime in particular.
It has been in the pipeline for some time but has yet to get approval from the Garda Commissioner.
Littleton based Councillor Sean Ryan says the local authority has done what it can to get things going.
“Progress has been slow. We have done everything that we were asked to do – all the documentation has been signed and gone through the Joint Policing Committee.
“It’s now with the Commissioners office for signing and that’s where it still is.
“I suppose what we’re trying to do in tandem with that as well is making sure that there’s a funding stream available for CCTV going forward because the infrastructure is going to have to be funded, cameras are going to have to be upgraded and a lot of technologies are going to have to be developed to make sure that it’s in line with the requirements.”
All going well Cllr Ryan is hopeful that the CCTV system will be up and running by the end of the year.
“The CEO has agreed later this year to hold a workshop before the budget on CCTV and hopefully then we’ll see how that will be funded.
“We still have no word from the Commissioners office but hopefully over the next couple of months we’ll finally get the sign off for it and we can get it – certainly before the winter – get it up and running and it will keep our communities safe. Particularly rural areas, rural farms, where the motorways are being used by criminals to target rural areas.”
