€50k CCTV plan to ease security fears of town’s elderly

A West Cork town is planning to install €50,000 of CCTV cameras in an initiative to ease fears of its higher-than-average elderly population.

A committee set up in Bantry — comprising the gardaí, neighbourhood watch, business community and a Joint Policing Committee (JPC) — is to apply next month for planning permission to erect five CCTV cameras in the town centre.

Bantry’s population has increased between 2002 and the census taken in 2011. The latest figures show 19.1% are over 65, compared to a national average of 11.7%.