Tag Archives: illegal dumping

A NEW Bill which will enable local authorities to use CCTV to tackle illegal dumping is to be published in the coming weeks, Clare’s Fine Gael TD has learned. The issue which has been a huge source of concern, especially in the south and east of the county where large-scale fly-tipping is a recurring problem. The matter has been raised several times by local authority members who have been told the law must change in order to permit the use of CCTV at dumping blackspots. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Department of the Environment for a progress report on the legislation and regulation to enable local authorities to use CCTV in their fight against illegal dumping. In response, Minister for State Ossian Smyth outlined progress to-date. “The General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021 was published on 15 June 2021,” he told Deputy Carey. “It is my intention under the Bill to facilitate not only the use of CCTV, but also …

A NEW bill is going through the Oireachtas, which aims to allow the State to tackle instances of illegal dumping through the use of CCTV, drones and automated number plate recognition, writes Owen Ryan. The Local Government (Surveillance Powers in Relation to Certain Offences) Bill 2021 was introduced to the Seanad on Tuesday by Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne. His party colleague Cathal Crowe said it is a piece of legislation that he himself has taken an interest in. “Over the past year, I’ve been in regular contact with Senator Malcolm Byrne and the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisors in the Oireachtas – they being the team that support members of the Oireachtas in drafting new legislation. “Senator Byrne and I feel that the current laws in place relating to litter pollution make it very difficult for local authorities to use modern technology to catch offenders. “This difficulty has increased with the advent of GDPR regulations which make it very …

CONSISTENT fly-tipping in Kilrush and how to tackle it was discussed at the recent meeting of West Clare Municipal District, writes Conor Clohessy. Councillor Ian Lynch commented on the frequent fly tipping and dumping that has become commonplace in Kilrush, particularly at the local bottle banks. He also highlighted the difficulties surrounding installing CCTV to prevent such misuse of public facilities. Councillor Lynch explained that the council sends teams to tidy up the bottle banks every Monday morning, where they regularly spend hours on end restoring the area to an acceptable state. These outdoor crews are now subjected to exposure to household rubbish and clothing on a weekly basis. However, the installation of CCTV has been prevented by concerns surrounding General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), which protect a citizen’s personal data from being processed. “The idea of you being a good citizen and going to the bottle bank, only to throw your rubbish on the ground to let someone else …

CCTV at illegal dumping blackspots cannot be rolled out until new legislation is enacted, members of the Council have been told.  In response to a motion from Councillor Gerry Flynn, the authority confirmed that the use of surveillance systems would breach privacy laws. The Independent member was told that the new Circular Economy Bill aims to change this.  Outlining his proposals at last month’s Council meeting, Councillor Flynn noted that other authorities are reported to have successfully used surveillance. There was widespread support for the motion. “There are two types of illegal dumping and one of them starts with illegal collection,” observed Councillor Michael Begley. “We have to find a way of stamping out people who go around knocking on doors, with a small trailer or a van and saying, ‘I’ll take your rubbish for €1 a bag’, or whatever they charge for it. The vast majority of people say, ‘That’s grand,’ and give it to them on the assumption …

FRUSTRATION has been expressed by an East Clare councillor over the ongoing delay in rolling out CCTV in the fight to stop illegal dumping. Councillor Alan O’Callaghan has raised the issue numerous times at forums including Clare County Council and the Joint Policing Committee (JPC). The issue is of national concern, with figures suggesting some local authorities are spending well over €1m annually to tackle the problem. Advice, sought from the Data Protection Commissioner has to-date vetoed the use of CCTV by local authorities, without the express permission of the Garda Commissioner. South East Clare is a particular blackspot in the view of Councillor O’Callghan. He has previously told fellow members of the Killaloe Municipal District he believes unlicensed operators are taking large amounts of waste from Limerick into remote forested areas. Raising the matter again at the meeting of the council’s committee on physical development, Councillor O’Callaghan was told that the new Circular Economy Bill makes provision for the …

THE link between illegal dumping and the management of waste collection by local authorities was debated at the July meeting of the local authority, on foot of a motion from Councillor Donna McGettigan. The Sinn Féin member called on the council to bring domestic waste collection back under its control in a bid to curb the widespread problem of fly-tipping. While a number of councillors were supportive of the motion, the Chief Executive sounded a note of caution and advised members to “think long and hard” about the implications and the effectiveness of such a move. Outlining the motion, Councillor McGettigan said she accepted the significant costs that would be involved in the authority running domestic waste collection once again. “We are among the only states where collection is fully privatised,” she said. “We could look at a franchise model which works well in other countries.” Seconding the call, Councillor Gerry Flynn said the service, which had previously been provided …

THE Mayor of the Ennis Municipal District has been sharply critical of a lack of action on illegal dumping on a number of sites around the county, including one on the Tulla Road. Councillor Ann Norton asked a series of detailed questions ahead of the July meeting of the local authority looking for a progress update – in terms of waste removal and remediation – on hotspots across Clare. The Independent member also sought an update on staff resources and the number of enforcement notices served over the last three years. Welcoming an official reply, which said that 97% of complaints made since 2018 had been resolved, Councillor Norton voiced disappointment at the fact that the Tulla Road site has not been tackled. “I was first asked to raise this issue some years ago,” she said. “Now, once again, there are questions over what is being done. The 3% of unresolved dumping sites are always an issue. This includes the …

AN incentive scheme to encourage those who witness the “scourge of illegal dumping” to come forward and report it to the authorities has been proposed by an Ennis councillor. Councillor Pat Daly believes that an award scheme which recognises those who come forward publicly should be put in place, and he has received the backing of his council colleagues. Speaking at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District he urged that the Council “consider finding ways to incentivise civic-minded members of the public to report incidences of illegal dumping in the Ennis municipal district area and, where possible, make evidence available”. The councillor commented, “There are two types of people who see illegal dumping and want to report it. One is someone who gives the information and wants to stay anonymous, but the other is a person that has no problem reporting and is prepared to give evidence. “This is a suggestion, but some award scheme should be given …