COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, July 08, 2019

QUESTION NO. 36

QUESTION: Councillor Shane Moynihan

To ask the Chief Executive for a report on the use of CCTV to address illegal dumping in the county, specifically the sites where permanent CCTV has been in place as well as a breakdown of the usage of mobile CCTV by electoral area over the past 12 months. 

REPLY:

All incidents of illegal dumping reported or detected in any area are investigated by the Council's Litter Warden Service and all dumped material is searched for evidence. Where evidence is found, the appropriate enforcement action is taken under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended. Increasingly, it is found that no personal information relating to polluters is contained within the dumped material, with personal information having been removed or shredded.

South Dublin County Council makes use of technologies, including CCTV, to assist in the prevention and detection of offences under the Litter Polltion Act. There are currently seven CCTV systems deployed throughout the County for this purpose; where evidence is identified Fixed Payment Notices are issued. CCTV is deployed having regard to the Council's CCTV and Environmental Technologies Protocol and statutory requirements, in particular GDPR. The placement of CCTV systems and the identification of suitable locations in line with Council policy and statutory requirements is carried out on an ongoing basis. Generally the Council uses overt CCTV, the use of covert CCTV is limited and, in accordance with the Council's CCTV Code of Practice, must be authorised by the Chief Executive and for a limited period of time. 

As part of the Council's commitment to deliver on the objectives of the Corporate Plan and Litter Management Plan, there has been an increased targeted focus on known litter generator areas. Similarly, there has been a raised visibility of our Warden Service through branded vehicles, and a number of structured routes have been identified for continuous patrol, as well as ad hoc patrols and investigations as required.

As always, the Council is grateful for assistance and support from local residents or others in their investigations of such incidents as they arise. In the absence of substantive evidence / witness statements and the presence of such witnesses in court it is not possible for us to bring successful prosecutions.