Meath council is not progressing plans for CCTV to tackle littering and illegal dumping
The use of CCTV is not currently planned for litter enforcement in Meath, the council has heard.
At the March meeting of Meath County Council, Independent councillor Geraldine Keogan asked the local authority to outline how many areas are under consideration for CCTV cameras aimed at preventing littering and illegal dumping, and what the expected timeline for their installation might be.
In their written response, the council said it is “fully committed” to tackling littering and illegal dumping but is “not progressing” new CCTV locations for these purposes.
“At present, the Council is not progressing new locations for CCTV deployment for the purposes outlined, as the requirements under data protection legislation, including the need to demonstrate strict necessity and proportionality, place significant operational and resource constraints on the use of CCTV for litter enforcement,” they said.
“These requirements continue to evolve, and the Council must ensure that any use of surveillance technology is fully compliant with all statutory obligations.”
In the meantime, the council’s Litter Warden Service and Environment Awareness Officer will continue to carry out on-the-ground monitoring, enforcement and targeted interventions at known litter blackspots.
These efforts are supported by enhanced anti-litter campaigns, improved signage, regular social media messaging, community clean-up initiatives and increased public awareness efforts.
The council added that these measures have already led to measurable improvements in litter prevention and public engagement across many parts of the county.
“While CCTV is not currently considered the most effective or proportionate tool, the Council will keep its position under review and, if the legislative landscape, technology or enforcement needs change, the option of CCTV deployment can be revisited at that time.”