County Limerick Digital Strategy to develop safer, smarter communities in 14 towns

County Limerick Digital Strategy to develop safer, smarter communities in 14 towns – At the signing of contract for the Smart CCTV pilot project: Standing: Peter Skehan, Roadbridge Project Manager; Conor Gilligan, Roadbridge Managing Director; Conn Murray, Chief Executive, Limerick City and County Council; Inspector Dermot O’Connor
Seated: Chief Superintendent David Sheahan; Stephen Keary, Mayor of the City and County of Limerick; Carmel Kirby, Director of Social Development, Limerick City and County Council

County Limerick Digital Strategy to develop safer, smarter communities in 14 towns

Limerick City and County Council is to install 44 high specification CCTV cameras in 14 County Limerick towns as part of the County Limerick Digital Strategy, a major expansion of the CCTV network.

The towns and villages will see the installation of the latest generation of Smart CCTV systems, in local CCTV Hubs.  This includes the installation of local NVR (video recording servers) with smart analytics capabilities, networking, communications and power management.

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Contracts have been signed between Limerick City and County Council and Roadbridge to install the 44 high spec/ high-quality cameras in 24 new locations across all 14 towns as part of the new County Limerick Digital Strategy

The towns are Abbeyfeale, Adare, Askeaton, Caherconlish, Castleconnell, Cappamore, Croom, Foynes, Kilmallock, Murroe, Newcastle West, Pallasgreen, Patrickswell and Rathkeale.

One of these new high-spec 360⁰ panoramic PTZ cameras replaces at least 2-3 traditional bullet/dome CCTV cameras, resulting in a wider coverage at each location.

But these new cameras can do much more. The cameras have Smart features for pattern/ footfall recognition and have automatic number plate recognition functionality.

The system allows for remote access to the CCTV feed on smartphones enabling authorised users access to live footage. A number of ‘tourism’ cameras are also being installed to allow for Live Online Streaming.

The footage from these cameras will be monitored on a 24-hour basis seven days a week at Moyross Community Enterprise Centre.  The centre in Moyross is being upgraded to accommodate the expansion of the scheme which will facilitate the recording of up to 500 CCTV cameras.

In addition, the expansion is creating additional opportunities for local a people to be avail of employment and training opportunities in Moyross.

Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Cllr Stephen Keary has welcomed the project: “I’m delighted that the system is being installed as I’ve been asking for CCTV cameras, particularly in my electoral area of Adare/ Rathkeale for some time.  This will be of great benefit for citizens living in rural parts of County Limerick.”

Conn Murray, Chief Executive of Limerick City and County Council said: “The Smart CCTV project is part of the broader County Limerick Digital Strategy and the mid-west region and when you see it translated into practical scenarios, you can see how we are supporting communities across Limerick.”

“It enables us to work together with the Gardaí, and this is another example of the deep level of co-operation that exists between Limerick City and County Council and An Garda Síochána, and illustrates the positive impact our work is having in various communities.”

Dr Mihai Bilauca, Head of Digital Strategy with Limerick City and County Council said: “This project is setting up a framework for the platform upon which multiple cameras can be added in the future. We are putting in the systems and infrastructure which will enable the projects to scale up when additional funding becomes available.”

“These cameras will not just record traditional footage, they come with smart features such as the ability to conduct footfall counting, pattern detection and number plate recognition.”

“The introduction of the cameras is the first phase of the setting up of smarter communities at a local level because we bring that infrastructure upon which we can build additional sensors, etc.  It’s one step forward towards smarter communities.”

The pilot scheme links in with one of the core objectives of the Joint Policing Committee Strategic Plan, which aims to review coverage, monitoring and maintenance of CCTV for its effectiveness and efficiency; extend and develop CCTV schemes outside of the city as well as combining CCTV with other aspects of surveillance.

Chief Superintendent David Sheahan said: “We have seen over the past number of years the benefit of having CCTV around the city.  It has been very beneficial to us in crime investigation and detection and from that point of view this project is going to transform crime investigation and detection in the county.”

“These cameras are very high resolution, very high quality are going to transform the way we police these areas in the first instance and secondly to investigate and detect crime thereafter.”

“This is for the community, it’s not for the Garda Síochána, and how to make communities a safe places to live, and that is our core objective, our core strategy for the last number of years; working with the local authority and the CCTV project is bringing another piece of work to fruition.”

“I must say it is a pleasure the way that the Gardaí and Limerick City and County Council are working together to provide safer communities across Limerick.”

The County Limerick Digital Strategy means that additional opportunities are being provided in Moyross Community Enterprise Centre for local people to be trained and certified as CCTV security operators.

Carmel Kirby, Director of Social Development with Limerick City and County Council added: “ We’re delighted to extend what has been a very successful community project in Moyross out to various parts of the county.”

“What is great about the project is that the new CCTV cameras will result in local communities becoming much safer and secure.”

“These cameras are being monitored 24/7 by Moyross Community Enterprise Centre.  This expansion is creating new job and training opportunities for local people, and in doing so delivering on one strand of the economic pillar of the Limerick Regeneration Framework Implementation Plan.”

Local company Roadbridge won the competitive tender for the works which are estimated to cost in the region of €350,000.

Conor Gilligan is Managing Director of Roadbridge.  “It means an awful lot to our staff that we won the contract.  We are a Limerick company, we operate in the global civil engineering market, but to get work in our home of Limerick is always a pleasure.”

“Our staff are very happy to be able to work at home, especially around this time of the year, we are getting very busy with projects around Limerick and providing local employment,” he added.

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