Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I hope my legislation will be enacted this year. That will ensure that the GDPR issues are addressed. It will set out in a clearer way the role An Garda Síochána and the local authorities have in community CCTV. In some areas there has been a reluctance to take on these schemes because of the uncertainty in the local authorities and An Garda Síochána. The Circular Economy Bill was published last Friday and it may take a little longer to move through the Houses. We need to ensure we get the right balance. While CCTV has a really important role to play in supporting the Garda in its role in helping to identify and deter criminals, it is important to ensure that we keep our communities not just safe but also clean. Obviously, illegal dumping in towns and villages as well as in our rural communities is very detrimental environmentally, particularly to various species of animal wildlife and it also impacts our rivers. There are a number of benefits to community CCTV and that is why these Bills are being progressed as a matter of priority.

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