A public consultation on the first Kerry Local Community Safety Plan brought together a wide range of community stakeholders at Kielduff Community Centre on Tuesday 22nd July. Pictured from left: Tom Walsh, Clarinwood Resident’s Association, Cllr. Anne O’Sullivan, Niall Kelliher, (Chairperson) Kerry Local Community Safety Partnership, Superintendent David Callaghan, Garda SÍochána Tralee, Mags O’Connor, (Coordinator) Kerry Local Community Safety Partnership, Paul Neary (Director of Services) Kerry County Council, Michael O’Mahoney, Kerry Local Community Safety Partnership, Diarmuid Cronin, Muintir na Tíre, and Derry O’Murchú, Kerry Public Participation Network. Photo: Pauline DenniganTHE launch of the public consultation on the first Kerry Local Community Safety Plan took place at Kielduff Community Centre on Tuesday.
The term “community safety” was introduced to encourage community participation, involving all sections of the community working together to foster greater feelings of safety in their community.
As outlined in the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration’s Community Safety Policy community safety is about people being safe and feeling safe in their own communities.
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The new community safety approach goes far beyond the traditional policing response and requires all relevant state bodies and voluntary organisations to work together in a joined-up way, in partnership with the local community, to prioritise and address issues in their own area.
Pictured are Julia O’Sullivan, Age Friendly Office, Kerry County Council, Declan Keogh (Road Safety Officer) Kerry County Council and Jason Brick, Kerry Fire Service. Photo: Pauline DenniganLocal Community Safety Partnerships bring together a wide range of community safety stakeholders including elected representatives, statutory bodies such as An Garda Síochána, the Health Service Executive, Tusla, and the local authority, community and voluntary sector organisations and local residents to develop collaborative responses to community safety issues.
The aim of each Local Community Safety Partnership is to prioritise the voice of local communities in identifying community safety issues in their area. To do this Safety Partnerships will consult with their local communities to develop a bespoke Local Community Safety Plan
Briefing attendees are Davina Griffin (Age Friendly Kerry Programme Manager) Kerry County Council, Kena Felle, Age Friendly Kerry and Catherine Lenihan (Chair) Older Person’s Council. Photo: Pauline DenniganEach Safety Partnership is required to develop and adopt, during its term, a plan to improve community safety in its functional area having regard to the National Strategy and in accordance with the Guide for Local Community Safety Partnerships Developing, Delivering and Reviewing a Local Community Safety Plan from the National Office for Community Safety.
Speaking at the public consultation on the first Kerry Local Community Safety Plan at Kielduff Community centre is Fionánn Fitzgerald, Ballymcelligott Community Alert Group. Photo: Pauline DenniganThe purpose of each Community Safety Plan is to build a solid foundation in the partnership area for working together with all stakeholders to maintain and enhance community safety.
Local Community Safety Partnerships are hosted by local authorities and supported by the National Office for Community Safety, an office of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
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