Domestic Abuse Calls In Kildare Rise By 50% As Community Safety Partnerships Remain Absent

Thursday, 13 March 2025 10:30

By Martin Osborne

The partnership is a government initiative which brings together community members, the voluntary and community sector, and local councillors to work together in identifying and tackling safety issues.

Domestic abuse calls to Gardai in Kildare rose by almost 50% last year, from 2,164 in 2023 to 3,279 in 2024.

Kildare North Sinn Fein TD Reada Cronin said the stark figures come at a time when locals are still waiting on the establishment of the Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSP) that are set to replace Joint Policing Committees (JPC).

The Partnership is a government initiative which brings together community members, the voluntary and community sector, and local councillors to work together in identifying and tackling community safety issues locally.

Despite them being signed into law last year, they have still not been put in place locally.

Deputy Cronin urged the Justice Minister to reconvene the Joint Policing Committees while the public wait for the Government to establish LCSPs.

The absence of Joint Policing Committees is also hindering Kildare County Council's ability to establish CCTV schemes in local areas.

Instead, the only available route is for Gardaí themselves to apply directly to the Garda Commissioner.

The council said that unless legislative changes are made or new regulations clarify the process, progressing a community CCTV scheme in local towns or villages will remain difficult.

Uncertainty remains over whether the newly established LCSPs - set to replace JPCs - will play a role in approving such applications.