By Chris Ashmore
TWENTY life buoys around Donegal have been fitted with special sensors to detect if they are removed from their stands.
It’s all part of a pilot project to try and ensure that more lifebuoys are in place when there is an emergency, and is a direct response to theft and vandalism issues.
Cllr. Jimmy Kavanagh has been informed that the council’s environment, piers and harbours sections are jointly undertaking a pilot project using “smart ring buoy” sensor technology to provide an alert when a ring buoy is removed from its housing.
If the buoy is returned, the sensor resets; otherwise, arrangements can be made to have the buoy replaced.
The technology allows the removal of a buoy to be addressed straight away, rather than awaiting the next inspection visit – or a report from the general public.
The smart ring buoy units have been in place since June of this year at 20 locations around the county – and since then there have been no ring buoys taken or used.
Cllr. Kavanagh was also told that if a location not currently allocated a smart ring buoy is identified as having a problem with buoys being abused, one of the units can be relocated to it.
Raising the issue at the November meeting of Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District Council, he pointed out that in some counties up to 40 per cent of ring buoys go missing or are thrown in the water.
Backing the use of tracking devices, he said: “It is difficult to understand why people wish to remove or vandalise them. Trackers are part of the solution.”
He also called for funding for CCTV cameras to be installed at “vulnerable sites” but was told that there are currently no plans.
According to an official council reply to his motion, he was told that “such a proposal would be challenging regulation-wise, as well as requiring significant funding.”
Cllr Kavanagh added that he felt that “if there were a few prosecutions, it might make people think.”
While he welcomed the news that 20 sites now have sensors, he noted that they were not at the Oldtown Bridge or at the Port Bridge in Letterkenny where there have been issues with the removal of life buoys in the past.
He requested a list of the locations where the sensors are now in place.
Cllr. Donal Coyle seconded his motion.
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