Concern over time needed to get CCTV operational

Local fears of crime resurgence

“The need for CCTV has never been greater - that has to be our mantra,” Ballina councillor Phyll Bugler told the May meeting of Tipperary Co Council.

Several councillors vented frustration over the length of time it is taking to get long-awaited camera surveillance schemes up and running at Burgess, Borrisokane, Roscrea, Littleton and elsewhere.

Cllr Seán Ryan feared another winter would arrive with still no sign of the cameras being operational, thanks to data protection obstacles. With the end of the pandemic restrictions, he said people living near motorways in particular are worried about an escalation of burglaries and thefts.

Supporting this view was Cllr Ger Darcy, who said the need for CCTV in Borrisokane is greater now than ever before. “Covid is over and we know what we can expect in terms of crime in rural areas,” Cllr Darcy said, adding that local gardaí have spoken of how useful CCTV is to them in combatting crime.

Chairman of Tipperary Joint Policing Committee Cllr Noel Coonan said this month's JPC meeting has been deferred until to June to allow time to sort out the CCTV issue. He acknowledged the frustation shared by many over the impasse, and said “a lot of our national politicians have stood by and not got involved to advance it”.

Director of Services Pat Slattery said the council had to organise a data impact assessment on every camera. It had to put authorised officers in place and arrange a data-sharing agreement with An Garda Síochána. The Roscrea CCTV programme had had to be redesigned and a meeting was recently held with the relevant stakeholders.

Everything had to be sent to the Department and approval is awaited. Mr Slattery said the council had to ensure that everything is in order so that it is not fined for improper use of CCTV, as recently happened with the local authority in Limerick.

He also made the point that CCTV schemes are expensive to install and maintain; proposals for setting up a scheme must first be sent to the JPC.