Kildare Senator welcomes new CCTV powers to tackle illegal dumping

A Senator from County Kildare has welcomed the government's announcement granting county councils the authority to utilise CCTV in order to combat illegal dumping. 

Commenting on the announcement, Labour Party Senator Mark Wall, who is based in Athy, said: "The introduction of CCTV to identify and prosecute those responsible for illegal dumping is a long overdue measure.

"Our communities have been burdened for too long by the blight of litter and dumping black spots, which not only degrade the environment, but also pose serious health and safety hazards."

He continued: "Dumpers must be held accountable for their actions, and this step aims to safeguard our communities and environment from the scourge of irresponsible waste disposal.

"The environmental and financial toll of illegal dumping cannot be understated; not only does it mar the natural beauty of our landscapes, but it also imposes significant costs on local authorities for clean-up and remediation efforts.

"We know that local authorities are spending approximately €100 million per year cleaning up illegal dumping.

"We must ensure our councils are equipped with every available tool to effectively address this pressing issue: this includes ensuring that our local authorities have the necessary resources to tackle the scale of this problem head-on."

Senator Wall concluded: "My colleagues and I have been working to secure the necessary tools and resources for our local councils to effectively combat illegal dumping."

Labour Party Senator Mark Wall. File photograph.