Community Safety
Community safety is about people being safe and feeling safe in their own community. Ireland is generally regarded as a safe country, with relatively low crime rates and a general feeling of safety and security. However, this is not the case in every community and some people can experience a different reality. We want to make every corner of Ireland a better, safer, more peaceful place for everyone.
The establishment and operation of Local Community Safety Partnerships is informed by statutory regulation and Guidance issued by the National Office for Community Safety.
Carlow Local Community Safety Partnership is provided for under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.
Local Community Safety Partnerships bring together a wide range of community safety stakeholders including elected representatives, statutory bodies such as An Garda Síochána, the HSE, Tusla, and the local authority, community & voluntary sector organisations and local residents to develop collaborative responses to community safety issues.
The aim of Carlow 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
Carlow Local Community Safety Partnership is hosted by Carlow County Council.
Carlow Local Community Safety Partnership
The inaugural meeting of the Carlow Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) took place on 10 December 2025 in Carlow Town Hall Chamber, marking a significant step in the national rollout of the new community safety framework established under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.
The LCSP brings together representatives from An Garda Síochána, Carlow County Council, education and youth services, business and voluntary sectors, community organisations, and residents. The Partnership acts as a collaborative local forum, ensuring that all relevant agencies and the community work together to identify local priorities and deliver effective, coordinated responses to improve safety and wellbeing across County Carlow.
The Carlow LCSP will now begin the process of developing a Local Community Safety Plan, which will be informed by community engagement, local data, and the collective expertise of all partner organisations. This plan will guide multi-agency efforts to create safer, more resilient communities across Carlow.
The establishment of LCSPs in every local authority area supports the Government’s commitment to a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to community safety, with prevention, early intervention, and partnership at its core.
Community Safety Fund
The Community Safety Fund is an annual grant fund which allows for the proceeds of crime, seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and An Garda Síochána to be directed back into communities in order to fund innovative local projects aimed at building stronger, safer communities.
South East Technological University (SETU), in collaboration with Carlow County Council, welcomes the announcement of €142,500 funding for a new Bystander Intervention Training Project, to be rolled out in schools across Carlow town and county.
The announcement comes at the beginning of the annual 16 Days of Activism again Gender-based Violence, an annual campaign by the United Nations running from 25 November to 10 December 2025.
The programme is supported by the Community Safety Fund 2025 which oversees the re-introduction of proceeds from the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and An Garda Siochana back into communities.
The Bystander Intervention Training project is supported by statutory and community partners. It will raise awareness and educate key community groups across Carlow to create a safe, respectful, positive, and supportive culture in the community.
Community Safety Strategy
The National Strategy for Improving Community Safety is an unprecedented, whole-of-government commitment to redefine and improve community safety across Ireland.
Community safety is about being people being safe and feeling safe in their communities. It cannot be the responsibility of An Garda Síochána alone. Instead, community safety requires a strategic partnership approach, bringing together a range of service providers and the community to identify and respond to issues relating to community safety in a proactive, joined up way.
In line with this Carlow Local Community Safety Partnership are undertaking research and consultations to develop the first Carlow Strategy for Improving Community Safety. This will establish a foundational, responsive, and relevant policy framework that enables public service bodies and communities to begin to work together in a coordinated manner to make communities safer.
For more information please contact: communitysafety@carlowcoco.ie