CORK County Council is in talks with An Garda Síochána in a bid to get the CCTV systems in Dunmanway, Clonakilty and Skibbereen switched back on.
The cameras were turned off in all three towns last Wednesday (July 8th) in an apparent row over who should operate them and control the recorded data.
At this week’s council meeting Cllr Daniel Sexton (Ind Ire) said this development is ‘alarming and unacceptable’.
‘Regardless of the reason the removal of active CCTV has left a gap in our public safety infrastructure at a time when our communities rely on these systems more than ever,’ he said.
‘CCTV cameras serve a critical role in maintaining law and order in our towns. They act as a deterrent to crime and anti-social behaviour and as a valuable tool for investigation an after incidents occur. Local businesses also depend on this infrastructure to protect their premises and business.’
He asked the executive why the cameras were switched off and if other towns are experiencing similar outages.
Council chief executive Moira Murrell confirmed there will be engagement with An Garda Síochána on the issue this week.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Deirdre Kelly said: ‘These cameras provide safety, security and a bit of comfort to towns and villages in West Cork and particularly Dunmanway, which has been impacted by this.’
Chair of Dunmanway Chamber of Commerce Tim Buckley described the issue as ‘worrying’ and hopes that a solution can be found.
‘The town would rely on a working reliable CCTV system in the case of anything going wrong. It’s also worrying for the businesses.’
John O’Driscoll, chair of Skibbereen & District Chamber of Commerce, said members were ‘shocked’ at the decision to shut down the CCTV as it deters social disorder.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána told The Southern Star that they will continue to work with the local authority and other stakeholders.
