COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF CLONDALKIN, NEWCASTLE, RATHCOOLE, SAGGART AND BRITTAS AREA COMMITTEE
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
MOTION NO. 5
MOTION: Councillor T. Gilligan
That this Area Committee provide an update on litter surveillance program , mobile camera , how many fines issued, how many cameras, etc.. location hot spots,
REPORT:
South Dublin currently employs 5no. anti-litter wardens each assigned to a geographical area of the County. in 2023 the wardens carried out some 1221 patrols and also responded to 1422 environmental complaints which resulted in 410 fines being issued.
South Dublin recently adopted our new Litter Management Plan 2023-2025. The plan proposes to address the negative impacts of litter on our county, improve the quality of life and sense of wellbeing of our residents, and enhance our commercial and tourism potential through effective and efficient enforcement of legislation and regulation, management and maintenance of our public realm and education and awareness.
In relation to CCTV systems, there are currently no live systems in operation.
The Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 (the Circular Economy Act) which was signed into law on the 21st of July 2022 provided amendments to:
- The Waste Management Act 1996 (the Act of 1996) [Part 3 of the Act] and
- The Litter Pollution Act 1997 (the Act of 1997) [Part 4 of the Act]
The proposed amendments to the Act of 1996 and the Act of 1997 include provisions for the approval of CCTV schemes by local authorities, subject to conditions, for the purposes of deterring environmental pollution and facilitating the deterrence, prevention, detection, and prosecution of offences under the Act of 1996 or the Act of 1997.
The Act includes a requirement that The Local Government Management Agency shall prepare and submit to the Minister for approval draft codes of practice for the purposes of setting standards for the operation of CCTV schemes by Local Authorities. These codes of practice were approved by the Minister on the 15th February last. South Dublin is committed to availing of CCTV and Mobile Recording Devices (MRD) in its efforts to deter, detect and prosecute litter and illegal dumping offences and are currently reviewing the mechanisms outlined in the codes of practice and have begun identifying potential areas where deployment of CCTV will meet the Codes of Practice criteria.