Published: Wednesday, 28th July, 2010 5:00pm

New CCTV system now rolling in Cavan town

The much anticipated new CCTV camera system in Cavan town is now up and rolling courtesy of the fibre optic network and the Gardaí can now monitor all types of behaviour from the garda station.

Six cameras are now erected and recording at the locations: adjacent to the Dunnes Stores carpark on Church Street, at the junction of Abbey Street and Bridge Street, on Main Street outside An Cruiscín Lan/Harvest Fare, in Ard na Greine, at John Paul Avenue/St. Martin's Terrace and in Springfield/Laragh Crescent.

Town councillors and members of the joint policing board welcomed the news at their meeting on Monday night in the Courthouse. Chaired by Cllr. Paddy O'Reilly (FG), the councillors on the board are confident those engaged in anti-social behaviour and violent assaults will be apprehended. Sinn Féin councillor Brian McKeown said those fornicating, as has been the practice for years around the townhall late at night, should also be aware that big brother is watching. He said it must be great craic watching this footage on a Monday morning, after all these late night antics.

The RAPID co-ordinator with Cavan County Council, Conor Craven, revealed that the new CCTV system in Cavan town is now operational and images are being relayed via six cameras to Cavan Garda Station on a 24-hour a day basis.

One of the features of the project is that the existing fibre optic network was used to put the new system in place. "The use of this particular network affords us the capacity to expand the number of cameras being used, if a particular need is identified. The fibre optic network is also a safer system to use, as opposed to wireless in terms of data protection and security," he said. He paid tribute to SKS who carried out the work, the community for their patience and also three businesses that allowed cameras to be put on their premises.

"It was a community based scheme and we would not have got the money for the scheme without the input of the members of Cavan Town Council and the local community. There were a series of public meetings and it was the public who indentified the areas in local housing estates where cameras should be positioned," added Mr. Craven. It is hoped to have signage in place in the town and in the estates within the next two weeks. "We will be providing training to members of An Garda Siochána as to how to operate the system," he said.

Cllr. Patricia Walsh said that the message should go out loud and clear that the cameras are now rolling and she hoped that the system will deter anti-social behaviour.