Kerry County Council has confirmed that a Data Protection Impact Assessment is complete and approval has been granted by the Garda Commissioner for a new Community CCTV scheme in Killarney town centre.

Tender documentation is now prepared, with the project set to go out to tender shortly.
Councillor Tommy Cahill welcomed the update, noting that the town and local business groups have campaigned for the infrastructure for more than two decades.

“Killarney and Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce have been waiting for this scheme for more than 20 years,” Cllr Cahill said. “It is therefore most welcome to see that we are now at a stage where the Data Protection Impact Assessment has been completed, Garda Commissioner approval has been secured, and the tender documentation is prepared.”

He urged local authorities and state bodies to avoid any further hold-ups following high-profile public order issues over the summer months.

“Incidents in the town this summer have further outlined the need for this CCTV system,” he said. “Killarney is one of the busiest towns in the country, particularly during the tourism season, and having an effective Community CCTV system in place is an important piece of infrastructure for the town.”

Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill is taking the issue to the Dáil, submitting a Parliamentary Question to the Minister for Justice regarding the impact of data protection rules on public safety cameras.

“There is an important balance to be struck between data protection and public safety, but data protection should not become a barrier to the appropriate installation or operation of CCTV,” Deputy Cahill said. “In the case of Killarney, the town has been waiting for a Community CCTV scheme for more than two decades, and it is very welcome that the project has finally reached the stage where tender documentation has been prepared.”

Kerry County Council currently acts as Data Controller for four Community CCTV schemes across the county, covering three locations in Tralee and one in Killorglin. The local authority confirmed it will continue working with An Garda Síochána and Local Community Safety Partnerships regarding future rollouts.

By Sean Moriarty

Our news report on Page Six confirming Killarney’s selection as one of seven towns nationwide for a new State-backed childcare centre offers our community a clear opportunity to do the right thing.

Reports indicate that unused local property will be purchased and converted for this project, with target completion set for 2027 in time for the new academic year.

Step forward potential locations: Áras Phádraig, St Columbanus, the old District Hospital site, the Pretty Polly property, or the Trade Union Hall on Park Road. All have stood vacant for years awaiting viable community purpose.

We can already predict the path ahead. Months will be wasted in endless deliberation searching for a suitable venue, allowing momentum to stall. Now is the moment to act decisively.

What is required is immediate, collective action between property owners, council management, local municipal district councillors, school boards of management, and Minister Norma Foley. They must sit down together, identify an unused, vacant building, and advance this project without delay.

Current experience paints a sobering picture. The delays surrounding the opening of the new Killarney Community Nursing Unit serve as a prime example of red tape holding back public progress. Without direct intervention, we will spend years discussing this early learning initiative while bureaucratic inertia prevents a single brick from being moved.

The time to deliver this vital facility for local families is now.