Plans to extend the community CCTV system in Letterkenny remain up in the air as Donegal County Council awaits a go-ahead from the Garda Commissioner.
It’s seven years since the Letterkenny Chamber first began working with Donegal County Council and An Garda Siochana to widen the range of cameras in key areas of the town.
The CCTV is intended for use by gardaí and is controlled from Letterkenny Garda station.
The Letterkenny extension requires Garda Commissioner approval before funding can be drawn down.
Following a joint presentation by Council staff and a local Garda Inspector in October 2024, no correspondence has yet been received.
Letterkenny-Milford Mayor, Cllr Gerry McMonagle, said that traffic congestion and crime issues in Letterkenny have worsened in the seven months since the presentation.
“I am disappointed this hasn’t been signed off on now to date,” Cllr McMonagle told Tuesday’s meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford MD.
“We know from local news items there is a lot of anti-social behaviour in these areas and congregation, and these CCTV cameras will help with a lot of this.”
The agreed locations of the cameras are at the Pole Star Roundabout, Larkins Lane and Pearse Road, the Hospital Roundabout and Lower Main Street and St Oliver Plunkett Road. These proposed locations were requested by gardaí locally.
Cllr McMonagle has called on the council to write to the Garda Commissioner requesting that the long-awaited extension of the Letterkenny CCTV System be approved. He also asked for the letter to outline members’ concern at the loss of a Garda Superintendent that was previously based in Letterkenny, but told the meeting that it’s anticipated that the position is going to be filled imminently.
Donegal County Council is also working on an application to the Department of
Justice for funding to install a new CCTV scheme in the twin towns of Ballybofey & Stranorlar.
