Drone and cctv footage to be used to catch illegal dumpers under new law

Donegal County Council will have new powers to bring litter prosecutions based on evidence from CCTV and drone footage, thanks to a bill which has been signed into law.

The long-awaited legislation means that CCTV will once again be used to catch those carrying out illegal dumping. 

Such powers were removed from local authorities a number of years ago after a challenge was made under data protection law. This resulted in a process whereby new and updated legislation was brought through the houses of the Oireachtas. It is aimed not only at permitting use of CCTV, but of taking into account current and future digital technology. 

Donegal County Council’s Environmental Awareness Officer, Suzanne Bogan told members of the Municipal District of Donegal that training and preparation had been taking place in anticipation of the new powers. She was speaking at the February meeting of the MD. 

However, Cllr Michael McMahon (SF) expressed his frustration at how long it was taking for the legislation to be passed and implemented.

“I take this very seriously,” he said. “This has been ongoing for years.”

“Bottle banks in my area in Bundoran are being abused unbelievably and we are having to ask council and TÚS workers to go and clean up. 

“Tidy Towns are up to their neck trying to tidy up as well, as are all the organisations that care about their town.

“You can clean up at nine o’clock in the morning and you go back in the afternoon and there are eight or nine bags there.

“Are we going to be looking at another summer of this?

“It is a sick joke at this stage.”

Cllr Micheál Naughton (FF) assured his fellow councillor that the legislation had been signed the previous day. 

Ms Bogan said she would come back to councillors on when and how the detection systems would be rolled out.

Bin Removed

Cllr McMahon is not alone in feeling the frustration of littering and illegal dumping in Bundoran.

The Donegal Democrat was contacted by a resident expressing her concern at the removal of a bin from the town’s West End area, close to the bus stop. 

She said: “I rang the council at the time to report this. Garbage from sweet papers etc gets thrown around. 

“I spoke to a representative and enquired why the necessary bin was removed, only to be told that garbage was being left there which couldn’t be put in the bin.

“I use public transport and whilst seeing a little bag of garbage maybe once weekly and tied at the top, I would expect that to be collected and no fuss caused as the person(s) maybe can’t afford the full cost and tidily leaves it for collection.”

The woman who asked not to be named added that public bins had only very small areas for people to discard rubbish. 

“Easier access to public bins should be a priority,” she said, adding: “To the council - please replace the bus stop bin immediately.”