'Outrageous' illegal dumping at Bragan
Illegal dumping and vandalism in the Bragan amenity area of North Monaghan is being perpetrated by people living within a 25-kilometre radius of the area, Cllr Pauric Clerkin (FG) claimed at the April meeting of the Monaghan Municipal District.
Cllr Clerkin expressed disappointment at recent incidents in which picnic benches and other tourism infrastructure at Bragan have been damaged, and described illegal dumping in the location as “out of control”.
“It is outrageous that some people are just thinking of this location as a dump,” he stated.
Cllr Clerkin also referred to direction signs in the area being altered or uprooted.
Asking if an education or awareness campaign should be launched, he said the local authority couldn’t keep spending money on repairs if damage kept happening.
“I believe the people carrying out the fly-tipping and the damage live within a 25-kilometre radius,” he stated. “They are local people not looking after their own area.”
Municipal District co-ordinator Martin Taylor asked Cllr Clerkin to furnish details of the latest damage and dumping incidents of which he is aware.
MD Director Patricia Monahan noted that a major programme of investment in the Sliabh Beagh area, of which Bragan is part, is planned under the Shared Island Fund.
CCTV SOLUTION?
Cllr Bronagh McAree (SF) submitted a question to the meeting asking about the installation of CCTV in the Bragan area to deter fly-tipping.
Monaghan County Council confirmed that it has examined the use of CCTV at Bragan but covert CCTV can’t be deployed – any CCTV installed must be clearly signposted and operated in line with data protection law.
“Experience shows that while overt CCTV can deter dumping at a specific point, it often just causes the problem to move to another nearby location. For that reason, CCTV on its own is not a long-term solution.
The written reply continued: “Instead, the Council is taking a broader approach, including monitoring known hotspots, investigating reported incidents, taking enforcement action where possible, and working with local communities to encourage reporting and proper waste disposal.
“The Bragan area will continue to be monitored, and enforcement actions will be kept under review as part of the Council’s wider approach to tackling illegal dumping.”