Extra CCTV is still not in Ashling’s hometown
OFFALY County Council have failed to install extra CCTV cameras in public places around Tullamore since the murder of school teacher Ashling Murphy.
It has also emerged that, six months after receiving a specially-commissioned report on how to make the town safer, the local authority has yet to implement any of the report’s recommendations.
Among its proposals were educational programmes and the installation of extra CCTV cameras in public places, such as the canalside path where Ashling was murdered while jogging after work.
At the murder trial of her killer Jozef Puska, Ashling’s older sister Amy told of her disappointment that nothing has changed since her 23-year-old sister was stabbed to
‘These empty promises never came to fruition’
death on the banks of the Grand Canal on January 12 last year.
In a victim impact statement, delivered at Puska’s sentencing hearing, Amy said: ‘In the aftermath of Ashling’s murder, we were promised by those in positions of power that additional CCTV would be installed in our local public spaces in Tullamore, including the grand canal greenway. This was to ensure women could safely go about their daily lives.’
‘These were empty promises that never came to fruition,’ she added.
This weekend, Tullamore-based Independent councillor Seán O’Brien said a report into how to make the town safer was commissioned after Ashling’s murder.
He told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘A report was done into what actions could be taken to make public places more comfortable to walk in and it was discussed by the Joint Policing Committee and the county council.
‘I will certainly be following up with the council’s management to see what actions, that were proposed in that report, they are pursuing and if we could have a time line finalised for better CCTV.’
A Garda spokesperson said that, as part of its drive ‘to reduce the incidence of crime, anti-social behaviour, public disorder, vandalism and the general fear of crime’, the force ‘is in favour of CCTV systems as an aid to policing’.
The spokesperson added: ‘There is a demand, nationally, from community and business groups for CCTV systems in their respective towns and cities. While the use of CCTV by a police service can have great merit, its use can have a direct impact on the human rights of individuals. Therefore, its introduction needs to be carefully planned and its use, competently managed.
‘The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022, is awaited and this will clarify the process to be followed, clarify ownership issues and address data protection. This proposed legislation is in its final stages before the Oireachtas.’
Offaly County Council was contacted for comment.