Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 March 2023
140. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason local authorities can no longer install CCTV cameras in the vicinity of bottle banks and other waste collection locations; the measures he proposes to allow such monitoring to recommence; the timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10613/23]
View answerIn 2020 the Data Protection Commission (DPC) contacted my Department to outline their concerns over the legal basis for the use of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras by local authorities in the enforcement of both waste and litter legislation and in particular the data processing element of such usage.
On foot of these concerns, I provided for amendments to the Litter Pollution and Waste Management Acts, through the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022. Sections 22 & 33 of the 2022 Act require that the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) prepare and submit to me in my role as Minister for approval, draft codes of practice for the purpose of setting standards for the operation of CCTV and other mobile recording devices in order to deter environmental pollution and to facilitate the prevention, detection, and prosecution of littering (Section 33) and illegal dumping (Section 22) offences.
Codes of Practice will be submitted by the LGMA for approval by me as soon as practicable. Once approved, local authorities will be enabled to put in place both litter and waste enforcement measures involving the GDPR-compliant use of technologies such as CCTV.
