CCTV missing 'really serious incidents' in Dundalk Town Centre

A Dundalk councillor has warned that CCTV in Dundalk town centre is not picking up "really serious incidents". 

Fianna Fáil councillor Shane McGuinness told the March meeting of Louth County Council that the positioning of CCTV cameras on Earl Street in Dundalk needs to be examined and questioned if the local authority could install more cameras. 

"I have spoke to the Gardaí about this and three cameras, pointing in the different directions would be much better and much more sensible than a camera swinging around the top of the pole."

He said "every time something happens and we go to look at it, it’s always pointing in the wrong direction". 

Cllr McGuinness said that Gardaí are then "wasting a lot of time" trying to contact local businesses to obtain CCTV footage of "serious incidents that are happening at night". 

The Fianna Fáil councillor called for Louth County Council to "change the plan" in relation to cameras on other streets in the town centre. 

"I think we seriously need to look at the two cameras on Church Street and Park Street, and change the plan because they’re not picking up some really, really serious incidents that are happening at night," he said.

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David Hanratty, Director of Services for Louth County Council told the meeting that CCTV is a matter for An Garda Siochána and that it is not in the "direct remit" of the local authority . 

But he said he would refer it on to the chair of the Louth Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP).

LCSPs were established across all local authorities in Ireland, and aim to replace the work of former Joint Policing Committees. 

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.