News
CCTV Scheme for Killarney still on the long finger
The long-promised public CCTV system for Killarney remains stalled, with no start date in sight, despite funding being approved earlier this year.
At Monday’s meeting of Kerry County Council, Councillor Tom Barry (Listowel Municipal District) raised the issue again, seeking clarity on when the long-awaited Killarney CCTV project will finally begin.
Cllr Barry, who is monitoring the Killarney project closely as a model for rolling out similar systems elsewhere in the county, asked the council to arrange a meeting between An Garda Síochána and the council’s Data Protection Officer to progress the matter.
He said that only through direct engagement could the necessary Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) be completed and the project finally move forward.
However, the official response from the council offered little reassurance or any sense of urgency.
The reply stated:
“There has been considerable engagement between all stakeholders in relation to CCTV and, in particular, the preparation of a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for the Killarney Town Centre CCTV scheme. The final approval to that DPIA is awaited, and Kerry County Council will continue to work with partners to reiterate the importance of this.”
No commencement date, project timeline, or installation schedule was provided.
In July of this year, funding was formally approved for the long-promised Killarney. CCTV scheme.
At that time, Kerry County Council confirmed that the Killarney project could proceed as soon as An Garda Síochána provided final sign-off.
However, three months later, there has been no visible progress on the ground, no update from Garda Headquarters, and no indication of when approval might be granted.
The CCTV initiative, which has been discussed at multiple council meetings over several years, is designed to enhance public safety, deter antisocial behaviour, and assist gardaí in investigating crimes in busy areas such as Killarney’s town centre and nightlife zones.
The absence of CCTV in the town centre has been a long-standing frustration for both councillors and business owners, particularly given Killarney’s status as one of the country’s busiest tourist towns.
The Killarney National Park Education Centre has announced the return of the ‘Step into Spring’ – Céim Isteach san Earrach festival for 2026. Running from Friday, April 10, to Sunday, April 12, the programme features a series of free events designed to celebrate the season of growth and rejuvenation within the park grounds.
The weekend begins on Friday evening with an illustrated talk on the woodlands of Killarney National Park by Chris Barron, followed by a nocturnal nature ramble led by the education team. Saturday’s highlights include the annual Dawn Chorus guided walk and bird ringing demonstration starting at 5:45 am in Knockreer Demesne, led by Ed Carty, Dr Killian Kelly of MTU, and the SWI bird ringers.
Historical and botanical walks are also scheduled throughout the weekend. Dr Tracy Collins, OPW Archaeologist, will lead guided tours of Muckross Abbey on Saturday and Innisfallen Island on Sunday. Other expert-led sessions include a look at the spring flowers of Muckross Peninsula with Dr Therese Higgins, a tour of the Muckross Arboretum with former Park Superintendent Cormac Foley, and a talk on Ireland’s National Seed Bank by Dr Darren Reidy.
The festival concludes on Sunday with a boat trip to Innisfallen Island and a “Reading the Landscape” walk through Knockreer Demesne with Horacio Presto of the NPWS. While all events are free of charge, organizers have noted that pre-booking is essential due to limited capacity.
Step into Spring Schedule 2026
DateTimeEventFriday 10th7:30 pmWoodlands of Killarney Talk (Chris Barron)
8:45 pmNocturnal Nature Ramble (KNP Team)
Saturday 11th5:45 amDawn Chorus & Bird Ringing (Knockreer)
11:00 amHistory of Muckross Abbey (Dr Tracy Collins)
11:30 amSpring Flowers of Muckross (Dr Therese Higgins)
2:30 pmMuckross Arboretum Walk (Cormac Foley)
7:30 pmIreland’s National Seed Bank Talk (Dr Darren Reidy)
Sunday 12th10:00 amHistory of Innisfallen Talk (Dr Tracy Collins)
1:30 pmInnisfallen Boat Trip & Guided Walk
2:00 pmReading the Landscape (Horacio Presto)
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