Westport councillor calls for CCTV at every playground

A WESTPORT councillor has called for CCTV to be installed in every playground in the county and for more funding to be available for communities to install them.

Speaking at the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District monthly meeting, the Westport-based councillor Christy Hyland said he welcomed a suggestion from Mayo County Council's Parks Superintendent, Peter Gill that CCTV should be installed at every playground in the county.

“I was delighted when Peter Gill mentioned the importance of CCTV at playgrounds when the opportunity arises for him to do it. It is important in the day and age we are in, that all playgrounds have CCTV,” he told the meeting.

Cllr Hyland, who is a retired member of An Garda Síochána, has been a long time critic of what he sees is the bureaucracy which prevents communities from installing a CCTV system. The Independent councillor welcomed new legislation which will make it easier for communities to apply for funding for CCTV systems.

“There is a bill that has nearly gone through all stages of the Dáil where it will make CCTV more application friendly,” he said

“There are communities out there who are unable to avail of the grant that the minister provided for the installation of CCTV systems and it will be dealt with in the new legislation. When it comes on stream I want us to be out of the blocks with it and I won't hesitate in allocating my GMA funding towards it,” he said.

Cllr Hyland also stated that he also wants to see the CCTV system in Westport expanded.

“There are 18 CCTV cameras in the town [Westport] which has more than paid its way to the taxpayer with the savings that can be made by having a CCTV system. There are 18 cameras in Westport which I intend to expand and work on new CCTV systems in the area when this legislation comes on board,” he concluded.