The atomisation of society continues apace as wealthy individuals seek to advance and vindicate their rights before the courts. And while vigilance is required to guard against any oppression of citizens by officialdom, ask yourself, when did a statutory body ask the Courts to arbitrate on what the Constitution holds to be superior rights connected with the public good?
Citizens have rights, but they also have obligations. They are expected to obey the law and contribute to the welfare of society. For some, however, self-interest gets in the way, especially if a threat of identification and punishment is not present. Drunk driving was such an offence before roadside checks made it unacceptably risky. Today, it is the illegal dumping of household waste.
A serious fly-tipping problem has existed for years in Dublin’s north inner city. Legislation requiring residents to identify their bin collection companies failed to resolve the problem. Householders continued to dump their rubbish illegally; officials threatened to “go after them” and councillors demanded a “name and shame” response.
The City Council erected a billboard in the area and posted CCTV images of 12 people engaged in illegal dumping. The faces were slightly blurred but recognisable, and the initiative has led to a marked improvement in street cleanliness. The use of the images, however, has prompted Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dickson to ask Dublin City Council to justify its behaviour on the basis of necessity and proportionality.
An individual’s privacy is an important concern but it does not exist in a vacuum. The City Council intends to justify its actions as representing a proportionate response to what has become endemic antisocial and illegal behaviour. An on-line survey conducted by this newspaper found that nine out of ten respondents believed the council was justified in publishing the images.
They took the view that the public interest outweighs an individual’s right to privacy when the law is being broken. Big Brother was watching and, in this instance, the greater good is served by sharing what he saw.