Sir, – The Deputy Data Commissioner, Graham Doyle, in reply (March 25th) to a letter I wrote (March 23rd), seeking clarification as to why local authorities cannot use CCTV to detect those guilty of blatantly and regularly dumping illegally, notes that, under current Irish law, permission must be sought from the Garda Commissioner.
Why, one might well ask? Surely the highest police officer in the State has more to be doing than considering petitions from local authorities to install cameras at some local crossroads. I appreciate this is not for Mr Doyle to answer.
There is another point made in his reply which merits comment. He says, in circumstances where cameras are installed to detect offenders, “it is likely to record those lawfully going about their daily business . . . This can have intrusive consequences for all of us.”
Such as? I would suggest that most reasonable people have little problem being recorded going about their daily business if it meant those committing criminal acts were detected. In today’s world the general public is under constant surveillance by CCTV systems, on streets, garage forecourts, supermarkets, public transport, public buildings, etc, and we don’t see mass protests about it.
As for “intrusive consequences”, surely there are intrusive consequences, of the aesthetic kind, for those who go through the countryside and come across dumped fridges, torn bags of household waste, soiled nappies, etc. Our beautiful countryside despoiled by rubbish, apart from being detrimental to the environment, offends our sense of wellbeing, pride in our community and in our country generally. It demeans us all. If CCTV helps identify the guilty, while offending the odd crank, it’s common sense and a price worth paying. – Yours, etc,
NOEL HOWARD,
Kilworth,
Co Cork.