AT least 10 CCTV cameras will be erected in Kilrush town centre following the completion of a tendering and Part 8 planning process. At Tuesday’s September meeting of Kilrush Town Council, members unanimously backed the initiative, which was originally proposed by current town mayor, Councillor Paul Moroney.
“What’s proposed is to have a number of cameras throughout the town. There’s a total of ten. Six of them are fixed at various locations throughout the town. Four of them are zoom cameras, which can move. The town centre is deemed an area of concern,” town clerk John Corry stated.
“We’re going to have a fixed camera on the credit union and the Vodafone shop (subject to approval). There’s also going to be cameras on poles either side of the town hall. One will take in Moore Street, Francis Street and the square. The other one will take in Henry Street, John Street and Burton Street.
We’re also going to have a camera at the roundabout of Henry Street and the Back Road and halfway down Francis Street. We’ll have three fixed cameras near the bottle bank in the car park and we’ll have another fixed camera at Pella Road cross,” Mr Corry added.
The cameras will be part-funded by Kilrush Town Council and Government funding, while Kilrush Superintendent Seamus Nolan will have to get permission from the Garda Commissioner.
“I’ve spoken with colleagues in other town councils and any towns that have provided CCTV generally find that it reduces crime instances in the town centre,” Mr Corry noted before adding that the cameras will be wireless and can be added to.
“It will be monitored at the Garda station and the existing CCTV in John Paul’s Estate can be linked to it,” John Corry explained.
Councillor Ian Lynch was keen to stress that the cameras were not being installed due to a fear of anti-social behaviour.
“I’d be afraid that it might get out that things are gone that bad in Kilrush. The original reason we had it is because the way the town is set up, it’s going to benefit from it. It adds a layer of safety,” he explained.
At the September 2012 meeting of Kilrush Town Council, hope was expressed that the cameras would be erected in early 2013.
“The planning process is going to take three months but I would expect the cameras will be in place in early 2013. I think the important point is that we do this correctly. This firm, as part of the contract, will vet the tenders and will ensure that the tenders meet the specification of what we require,” John Corry told the September 2012 meeting.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.