Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies. Returning to Deputy Carey's original comment with respect to County Clare, the OPW has put a fairly big footprint in the county in the past number of years with the work we have done in Cloonlara, Ennis, Springfield, Lahinch and Kilkee on the flood risk side, notwithstanding all of the other issues we have. I acknowledge both Deputies for the support they have given the communities with the engagement of OPW have had, including in places such as Quin.

One of the issues that has been raised in my Department and is something that we will give further consideration to is data storage and collection, particularly CCTV footage and who would be the data controller. We have had a particular issue previously in the past, for instance, which Deputies will be aware of, in respect of the Limerick CCTV scheme.

I have an open mind on this. Where wireless and solar cameras are available, sometimes they can provide low resolution. We want to ensure that the obvious deterrent would be a people presence in the area. That has worked with the caretaker but I take the point made by Deputy Carey that 60 incidents of fly-tipping comes at a cost then to the local authority, the local community and the Tidy Towns groups, together with everybody else who has to clean it up. To be honest, the muck savages who are doing this in the first place are of no benefit to the people in County Clare and are certainly adding other than a significant cost that has to be borne by some body to clean up all of their mess, filth and the dirt they leave after them. This is not unique to Clare Abbey and we have had issues in County Meath also where some great luminaries go in and scratch their names on national monuments. So and so was here. Fair play to them but in a 1,000 years their name will be scratched on to it but the monument will have been destroyed. I will use this opportunity again to mention that the OPW has asked people, where possible, to engage with An Garda and the local authorities but I will certainly ask that a further engagement takes place between Clare County Council, OPW and An Garda of foot of the suggestions which have been raised by both Deputies here in the Dáil.

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