CCTV saga nearing an end as new cameras to be installed

NEARLY four years after the it was first mooted, Wexford County Council has finally received sign-off from the office of the Garda Commissioner to proceed with a major extension to the town’s CCTV network.

Wexford County Council was left red-faced back in 2022 when it emerged that following nearly two years of discussion, no progress had been made on the CCTV extension, which includes the likes of Min Ryan Park and Redmond Park, and they would have to start the process from scratch.

Then Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council George Lawlor called a crisis meeting with the County Secretary, gardaí and technical providers to find a solution and a 48-step process to the installation of cameras began again in earnest.

Things were further delayed as it emerged that the submitted documents to extend the CCTV scheme were sitting on a desk at Garda headquarters in the Phoenix Park for nearly a year awaiting a signature from the Garda Commissioner’s office.

Finally, confirmation came through this week that the local authority can now proceed with appointing a contractor and installing the long-awaited cameras and County Secretary Michael Drea is hopeful that they will be up and running before Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in August.

In the region of 18 cameras are to be added to the CCTV network with locations including the aforementioned parks as well as Carrigfoyle in Barntown, Roman Lane off North Main Street and Lower King Street.

Having been involved in negotiating the laborious 48 step process, Cllr George Lawlor was relieved to finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

“This plan has been knocking around since 2020,” he said. “Myself and Frank Flanagan (of Intellisec Security) would’ve done some preliminary work and carried out some inquiries about how it would work.

“Then when I became Chair of the council, I asked where we were on it only to find out we were nowhere. Of the 48 steps, we weren’t even on step one.

“The documents were finally submitted on May 19 of last year to garda headquarters and we’ve been waiting until now to get sign off. The frustration over this is beyond belief. I’ve raised it at countless JPC (Joint Policing Committee) meetings and council meetings since.

“I appreciate that CCTV is a sensitive issue in terms of legislation, but we need to be able to deliver services like this more expeditiously.”

Having said that, Cllr Lawlor was delighted to see a conclusion to the saga.

“It’s great news for the town,” he said. “We have a multi-million-euro facility at Min Ryan Park, with millions of euro of public assets. That needs to be protected. I know there’s been a couple of incidents there in recent years. These upgrades will enhance the safety of that park, and Redmond Park for that matter, for everyone.”