Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Malcolm Byrne for proposing the Bill. As I have read it, and as I understand it from listening to the debate, it seeks to allow councillors to use fixed CCTV, mobile CCTV and drones for relevant offences specified under the Waste Management Act 1996 and the Litter Pollution Act 1997, and to allow processing of data as per the Data Protection Act, ensuring that the surveillance is necessary, proportionate and specific in its purpose. There has been some conversation about that. It seems there are enough safeguards concerning data protection and review mechanisms within the Bill.

Fly-tipping, as has been mentioned here, is a huge issue for every local authority. It is a scourge in our communities. Nowhere in the debate have I heard a reference to the privatisation of our waste services. Surely there is a direct correlation between an increase in illegal dumping and the privatisation of waste services, which were under the control of local authorities successfully for so many years. The Minister of State, from the Green Party, and local authorities should seriously consider bringing domestic waste collection back under the control of local authorities as a means of combating illegal dumping and the operation of rogue waste collectors. We are aware that illegal dumping has spiralled out of control. We see it at football pitches, greens and lanes, and beside public bins. I live beside a public bin and pull my hair out when I hear glass bottles being put into it one by one.Dublin City Council has barely any public glass recycling bins close to where we live and there are none on the route into town. There is never an excuse for illegal dumping but we need to make it as easy as possible for people to recycle. We know the Garda is already stretched in some areas where we are trying to stamp out illegal dumping. Local authorities have managed waste successfully for decades. It should not have been privatised. It has resulted in a race to the bottom. There are poorer quality services in many cases. There are increased costs for householders. There are negative environmental impacts and increased illegal dumping. We should nationalise waste services and bring bins back under public control. We should make it easy for people. Sometimes there is construction waste along the most beautiful greenways and walks in the country. I support the Bill and I thank Senator Malcolm Byrne for tabling it.