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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Litter dumped at Turf Road
Sinn Féin Councillor Antóin Watters has welcomed the recent announcement by Minister Ossian Smyth that local councils will now be allowed to use technology to monitor dumping hotspots and help tackle illegal dumping and flytipping.
“Up until now” Cllr Watters explained “the use of CCTV and drones etc was a legal minefield and it felt that I and Louth County Council were fighting this issue with one hand tied behind our backs.
"Well, no more! CCTV, drones and even bodycams can be used to tackle this scurge as new regulations were signed in on 9th February.
“The Circular Economy Act 2022 is only being enforced now because of a delay by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and it makes provision for these technologies to be used in a way that complies with Data Protection (GDPR) regulations which was always a legal concern.”
Photo above: Cllr Antóin Watters with a pile of dumped tyres
Cllr Watters has been vocal on this issue for many years as he described the illegal dumping as “rampant in some of the rural areas.”
He explained: “There has been a spike of illegal dumping on the Turf Road at Edentubber and this is just one hotspot that I will be seeking the use of these new technologies.”
Cllr Watters pledged “to raise this at the local Council meeting next week and ensure that Louth County Council is adequately funded, resourced and trained to implement these technologies without delay and bring the scourge of illegal dumping in this county to an end.”
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