Role of CCTV in tackling dumping in Mayo raised

THE need for a CCTV committee to look at using cameras to tackle illegal dumping has been raised at a Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District meeting.

Dumping at bottle banks and charity collections bins continues to be a big problem, said Councillor Alma Gallagher, who cited a huge issue beside bring banks in Ballyhaunis, as well as in Knock and Claremorris.

They needed to clarify the role of charities in curtailing illegal dumping, she said, noting how the council come every Monday and take the rubbish away. But it cannot continue.

In Dublin, the council have a pilot project with refuse companies, with spot checks on how people dispose of their waste.

GDPR, she added, has been an issue in relation to the use of CCTV, but other counties have now set up steering group committees to look at the role of cameras. And she wondering where the council in Mayo is at with this.

Municipal head Padraig Flanagan said a CCTV committee has not yet been established in Mayo, but it has been raised with the environment section, emphasising the need to have it up and running as soon as possible.

Extra funding has been sought for the daily cleaning at the bring banks, he added. That isn't the solution but they have to address the problem that is there at the minute.