Waterford allocated €196,468 funding for Community Safety
The Waterford Local Community Safety Partnership, chaired by Sean Aylward, recently welcomed a total of €196,468 in funding for two of the thirty-three successful projects allocated a total of just over €3 million from the Community Safety Fund by Helen McEntee TD, Minister for Justice.
Sean Aylward, welcoming the funding said, “These funds, the proceeds of crime, seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and An Garda Síochána, will make a real difference in the heart of our communities, in response to community led proposals to improve community safety.
“This funding helps the members of the Partnership, guided by the people who best understand the safety needs of their community implement proposals to make a real positive difference. I believe both these projects will lead to improved safety in Waterford.”
The Getting Kilcohan Back on Track Project has been allocated € €70,768. This proposal by WLCSP, in collaboration with Treo Port Lairge and An Garda Siochána, consists of eight-week innovative programs to engage with target groups and raise awareness about the benefits of safe usage of e-scooters, e-bikes and bikes on our roads, respect for our communities and introducing paths to education and apprenticeships.
It is intended as a part of the programs to educate participants on the dangers of unsafe modifications and reckless driving in the communities and the life changing injuries that can occur amongst other life learning skills.
Treo Port Lairge CLG is a community-based organisation that works with young adults aged 16+ in Waterford. The main aims of Treo are to facilitate more positive lifestyle choices by participants, reduce their criminal activity, and encourage progression to further education, training, and or employment. Danny Murphy, CEO Treo Port Lairge said, “Treo Port Lairge is delighted to be a collaborative partner of WLCSP in this successful project fund application and we hope to make our roads and communities safer for all to commute.”
Danny outlined how “this new initiative provides a comprehensive programme to raise awareness about the benefits and safe usage of e-scooters, e-bikes, and motorcycles on our roads by educating a target group through awareness of road safety measures and the benefits of safe practices.”
During this programme, the participants will engage with the Road Safety Authority, Waterford’s Roads Policing Unit in addition to workshops with former 15-time Irish Champion and competing world motorbike racer, Hilton Hincks.
The second project, a Safehub Waterford Pilot project was granted €125,700 to examine if personal safety and protection can be increased in Waterford City by using a newly developed SafeHub App.
This innovative safety solution has been developed on a mobile App, having previously been successfully trialled in a college campus environment and is now proposed to trial as a potential solution to increasing the feeling of safety in Waterford City, identified in the WLCSP Community Safety Action Plan.
Waterford was one of the three pilot locations for the Community Safety Partnership concept, which are now being implemented nationwide by the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024. The WLCSP is based within the Community Department in Waterford City and County Council.