Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD, joined by the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, has launched the Dublin North Inner City Local Community Safety Plan.

Minister McEntee established the Community Safety Partnership in 2020 as one of three pilots ahead of the national rollout of her new community safety policy next year.

This policy recognises that building stronger, safer communities is not just the responsibility of An Garda Síochána or the justice sector alone.

It acknowledges that the local community knows best how to improve safety in their areas, and will – working the HSE, Tusla, education providers, business groups, An Garda Síochána, public and community representatives – draw up plans to identify what actions are needed.

The North Inner City Plan being published does just this and outlines 50 actions across five priority areas.

The five priority areas are:

• Drugs, Inclusion-Health, Anti-Social Behaviour
• Family, Youth and Community
• Education, Life Long Learning
• Integration, Ethnic and Multi Faith Inclusion
• Physical Environment

Under these priority areas, the detailed action plan includes measures to tackle anti-social behaviour and drug dealing but also broader actions to improve feelings of community safety, such as integration of new cultures into the area, improved supports for families and increased awareness around issues like domestic violence.

The Community Safety Partnership will work with relevant groups to implement the actions in this plan, such as:

• Continuing strong Garda presence in the area as well as Gardaí working with others to improve and maintain public spaces identified as ‘hot spots’ for anti-social behaviour and drug dealing
• HSE, Tusla, Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána to extend drug outreach programmes, particularly to the under 18s
• Community Safety Wardens to work in Wolfe Tone Square, O’Connell Street and other areas
• Dublin City Council to carry out regular audits of streetscapes – lighting, cleanliness, maintenance – to improve feelings of safety
• Dublin City Council to review and refresh infrastructure of key commercial streets, prioritising O’Connell Street, Talbot Street, Moore Street and Capel Street
• Dublin City Council to work with business groups such as Dublin Town to tackle illegal dumping
• Probation Service, An Garda Síochána, Tusla and others to provide new programmes for young prolific offenders engaged in violent criminal behaviour
• HSE to provide health bus to promote positive health interventions such as vaccinations and tackling obesity
• Increasing the number of after school places for children
• An Garda Síochána Community Bus to address small policing matters

Each of the organisations included in the plan has committed to implement the actions identified by the Community Safety Partnership.

The launch of the Dublin Community Safety Plan follows those of Longford and Waterford, which were also established by Minister McEntee ahead of the national rollout of Community Safety Partnerships across the country next year.

Minister McEntee said, “the north inner city is a wonderful part of Dublin, and indeed our country. It has brilliant communities – families with roots going back generations, as well as new arrivals making the area their home. It has fantastic schools and colleges.”

“It has the commercial heart of our city centre, bringing so many of us in to shop and do businesses every day. And O’Connell Street, the historic main street of our capital city, is also at the heart of this area. There are of course challenges too, and I want to ensure that those living and working and living in our capital, and those who visit the city, are safe and feel safe.”

In July, Minister McEntee announced €10million of additional funding for Garda overtime in Dublin, specifically to increase high visibility policing and prevent crime.

However, Minster McEntee added, “having stronger, safer communities is at the core of my work as Minister for Justice. Gardaí across the city continue to work hard to keep people safe, to prevent crime and provide reassurance. Where incidents take place, An Garda Síochána move swiftly to fully investigate, make arrests and bring those responsible to justice.”

“The re-opening of Fitzgibbon Street Garda station last year and the opening of a new station for O’Connell Street in March have also helped improve that visible Garda presence. But increasing community safety – people being safe, and feeling safe too – is not only the responsibility of the justice system or An Garda Síochána. It requires many of us in State agencies and organisations working together – and working with the local community. Because nobody knows better than local communities how to make their areas safer.”

“This is our new policy on community safety, and it is one we will be rolling out across the country next year. Communities drawing up plans on how to make their areas safer, with everyone around the table – health, education, business groups, An Garda Síochána, public and community representatives – finding solutions. The Dublin North Inner City plan being published today is a perfect example of this fresh approach.”

Minister Donohoe said, “Dublin’s North Inner City is an area of great diversity and vibrancy. Of course some challenges exist. That is why today marks a special day. The publication of the Local Community Safety Plan for Dublin’s North Inner City aims to bring all those who know the area best and those who are best placed to identify and implement the changes that are needed to ensure that the area is a better place to live, to visit and to enjoy.”

“By prioritising these five areas, we can make sure that resources are allocated in the right way so that they make the biggest difference. The people of the North East Inner City are rightfully proud of where they live and come from. This plan will go a considerable distance to making the NEIC a stronger and safer community which is no less that the residents deserve.”

Speaking at the launch of the Dublin North Inner City Community Safety Plan, the Chair of the North Inner Cite Community Safety Partnership Eddie Mullins said, “as the recently appointed Chair of Dublin’s North Inner City Community Safety Partnership I am delighted to welcome everyone here today for the launch of the Community Safety Plan for the North Inner City. On behalf of the Partnership I want to welcome the Ministers McEntee and Donohoe also and thank them for their continued interest in and support for the work of the Partnership.”

“In my short time working with the Partnership I am struck by the commitment of the Partners to the Community and want to recognise and thank the Partners for coming together in the preparation of this document. The Community Safety Plan is a living a document which we expect will evolve and continue to be informed by the Community we seek to support.”