A pilot scheme is underway to track smart ring buoys across Donegal.
Trackers have been placed on life rings in 20 locations around the county. To date, none of those ring buoys have been removed or used.
The trial programme involves sensors being placed to monitor lifebuoys, so that the council can be immediately alerted if lifebuoys are removed from their location, and therefore can be replaced and available for use in the event of an emergency.
Fine Gael Councillor Jimmy Kavanagh, who has campaigned for the technology said: “It is difficult to understand why people want to remove or vandalise life saving equipment in the first place, but it is a common occurrence, that we need to deal with, a lost lifebuoy can mean a lost life and sooner or later that will happen, if we don’t try to address it.”
Cllr Kavanagh said that cameras are needed at the most vulnerable sites that are frequently targeted by vandals, like the Oldtown and Port Bridges.
“A few prosecutions might make other people think about the shame of being caught interfering with life saving equipment,” he said.
In response, the council said: “There are currently no plans to install CCTV at life buoy locations. Such a proposal would be challenging regulation-wise, as well as requiring significant funding.”
A spokesperson said that if there were problem areas not already being addressed, one of the tracker units can be relocated to it.
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