Anger as more data protection questions hold up Tipperary CCTV schemes

Councillor Noel Coonan has said the way An Garda Síochána and the Government have treated the community on CCTV is a “disgrace”.

He made his comments at the June sitting of the Tipperary Joint Policing Committee during a discussion on CCTV.

He said that he and the community are hugely frustrated by the pace of the application process.

“What they have experienced since before I was chair is disgraceful, how they are being treated by An Garda Síochána and the department responsible.

“This needs to be finalised or forgotten about,” said Cllr Coonan.

Chief Superintendent Colm O’Sullivan said the installation had to be done properly, or it would collapse.

DATA PROTECTION

The applications for the installation of CCTV in Tipperary were progressed to the Garda Commissioner for approval. Three have been approved, and those are Burgess, Cooleen and Birdhill.

On June 13, the committee requested an update on another five, Fethard, Borrisokane, Nenagh, Clonmel and Littleton.

Chief Superintendent O’Sullivan said that the Data Protection Office had raised questions about some of the applications.

Those have now been answered, and the applications can progress.

But he said that must be done in Dublin. He said he understood the frustration, but the gardaí did not raise those concerns, and he cannot comment any further.

Cllr Coonan said they have spent enough time on questions, and all that comes back are problems.

“It’s one problem after another.

“When you solve one, you are into another,” said Cllr Coonan.