CASH from the proceeds of crime is set to be injected into a number of communities across Limerick city and county for the betterment of society.
And, Limerick will benefit from a new pilot scheme which will introduce a community safety warden to bolster community outreach and support across the county.
That’s according to Justice Minister Helen McEntee, who announced an allocation €3million in funding to go to community and social projects across Ireland.
The cash for the Community Safety Fund comes solely from money seized from criminals by the Criminal Assets Bureau and An Garda Síochána. The fund is aimed at reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, supporting victims, and increasing safety in the community.
A number of Limerick projects are to benefit from the €3m scheme, along with 30 others receiving funding across Ireland in the form of grants ranging from €27,000 to €183,000.
A number of projects receiving funding under the scheme include organisations addressing anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, drug-related intimidation, safety on public transport, social exclusion, youth programmes, and prison post-release support.
Limerick was announced as one of three counties under the scheme to receive a community safety warden – along with Cork and Wolfe Tone Park in Dublin – who will work in promoting pro-social behaviour and link in with support services, business, and the public to address specific local concerns.
Other projects in Limerick to receive funding under the Community Safety Fund include the Hunt Museum’s ‘Safe Haven, Cultivation’ programme, which enhances security and community engagement in the museum’s community garden; the ‘Hideout’ drop-in centre for young people run by West Limerick Resources and the Rathkeale Together Project; and the DRIVE programme, run by Southill Outreach, which works to encourage safe driving in the community.
Announcing the funding, made possible through the reallocation of cash seized from the proceeds of crime, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said that “An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau have had continued success in disrupting the activities of criminals by seizing their ill-gotten gains. Putting this money back into the community is a real way to show that the efforts of law enforcement can directly contribute to making people feel safer.”
“At the heart of our approach to community safety is the principle that every community has the right to thrive and flourish. This funding will help the people who best understand the safety needs of their community to develop proposals to make a real positive difference.”
