New CCTV cameras on hold awaiting Garda code of practice

By Peter McCarthy, Corkman

The further roll-out of the Community CCTV Scheme is on hold until An Garda Síochána submit an operational code of practice to the Justice Minister, this week’s meeting of Cork County Council heard.

In a written reply to a motion by Cllr Dominic Finn, Divisional Manager Kevin Morey said that the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023 was enacted and signed into law by the President in December 2023.

However, a commencement order authorising community CCTV has not yet been signed and can’t be until An Garda Síochána submit a code of practice governing the installation and operation of a CCTV scheme.

“There is no deadline in the legislation for the completion of this code of practice, therefore we await guidelines,” Mr Morey said.

Section 6 of the new act repealed the current authorisation process for community CCTV provided in the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and no new schemes can go ahead until the new code of practice is submitted and the commencement order is signed.

This month’s meeting of the West Cork Municipal District heard of anti-social behaviour at the Rock Amenity Park in Skibbereen where vandals were smashing bottles on the ground, leaving broken glass strewn around. Cllr Brendan McCarthy called for the installation of a CCTV camera to curb the problem.

“We need to install a camera at the location to root out the people doing this up there. A pole is in place as part of the redevelopment of the site for the specific purpose of putting a camera on it,” Cllr McCarthy said.

“The Gardaí have also stated that they have no issue with a camera or cameras being installed there, in fact they would roundly welcome their installation to stop this horrible behaviour.”

However, a Council official responded that the local authority can’t install any new CCTV systems until the new code of practice is circulated.

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