Extra €50,000 for crime prevention text alert groups

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has announced a further €50,000 in financial support to Community Text Alert Groups in support of crime prevention.

The rebate scheme, which also ran in 2016 and 2017, will allow Text Alert Groups registered with An Garda Síochána to apply for funding to contribute towards their yearly running costs.

The new funding has been allocated to the 2017 scheme but the Minister has extended the deadline to draw down this funding to 31 January 2018.

Mr Flanagan said: “At the Ploughing Championships in September, I announced that my Department would provide €100,000 for the rebate scheme.

“However, following discussions with community groups and in response to the positive feedback on the Text Alert Scheme, I am allocating a further €50,000 as an addition to the 2017 allocation of €100,000. The funding allows a rebate on the costs of operating the Text Alert Scheme - I urge communities to learn about the scheme and to embrace it.”

Under the Text Alert Scheme, gardaí provide information by text or e-mail to a registered “Community Contact” and they, in turn, forward the information to members of their “Community Group”.

The “Text Alert” system is designed to facilitate improved communication with Community Crime Prevention Programmes. Texts / e-mails in relation to crime prevention advice / measures and important public information are transmitted through the scheme.