Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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77. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the Local Government Management Agency has submitted draft codes of practice so that standards can be set for the operation of CCTV by local authorities to tackle illegal dumping; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28614/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In order to address data protection concerns, Sections 22 and 33 of the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 require that separate Codes of Practice for the operation of CCTV schemes under both the Litter Pollution Act and the Waste Management Act and a further Code of Practice for the use of “mobile recording devices” under the Waste Management Act are prepared by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and submitted to me for approval.

The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) continues to work on the preparation of these draft Codes of Practice, which are fundamental to the future operation of CCTV schemes aimed at assisting waste enforcement and anti-litter efforts in a manner which is General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant. This is a complex process which requires consultation with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Minister for Justice and the Data Protection Commission. Data Protection Impact Assessments must also be carried out as part of this process. I will assess and approve these draft Codes of Practice as soon as they are submitted to my Department by the LGMA.

Timescales regarding submission are a matter for the LGMA but my officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in the LGMA with a view to expediting the process.