Gardai in Galway have expressed concern at plans by a private security firm to patrol housing estates in the city's western suburbs in an effort to prevent crime.
The firm, All-Time Security, intend to begin the venture in March which, at a cost of £1 a house each week, will involve 24 patrols of estates in the Knocknacarra and Salthill areas.
Supt Jim Sugrue said yesterday the Garda could not endorse the private venture and stressed that he had a number of concerns about it.
He said there was no way the security company could prevent burglaries as they usually occurred at the rear of houses.
"Since this company has announced their project, a number of people have contacted me with concerns about the whole scheme," said Supt Sugrue. "There is also a matter of infringement of privacy. Patrolling private houses is a very different thing from Neighbourhood Watch schemes, and some people might not like the idea of being patrolled by a private security company."
Mr Martin Daly, of All-Time Security, said the company intended to put three vans on the road with two people in each vehicle. The vans would be equipped with video cameras and linked to a centrally-based computer.
"We have been getting a number of inquiries about this type of security, and the response has been positive to date," he said.
"People are getting very security-conscious, and that is what we are responding to. Naturally we cannot prevent crime totally, but we would hope that our presence would deter crime."