The prevention of crime initiative in rural Ireland was relaunched with a new strategy yesterday. Barry Roche, Southern Correspondent, in Limerick Junction, Co Tipperary
The success of the Community Alert Programme was yesterday praised by Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Brian Lenihan for its successful harnessing of community spirit and neighbourliness to help assist the elderly and isolated in rural Ireland.
Mr Lenihan said the success of the programme since its launch in 1985 in conjunction with Muintir na Tíre lay in the fact that it is community driven and flexible in meeting the needs of local communities.
"Since Muintir na Tíre was founded in 1937, it has made a vital contribution to the fabric of Irish life through its core principles of neighbourliness, self-help and self reliance," said Mr Lenihan, adding that these principles remained relevant in modern-day Ireland.
The programme was set up in 1985 when Muintir na Tíre approached the Garda Síochána with a proposal for a crime prevention initiative. This was in response to a series of particularly violent attacks on older and vulnerable people in the early and mid-1980s.
There are now some 1,250 Community Alert groups working with gardaí in Garda divisions.
Mr Lenihan was speaking at the launch of a Joint Strategy for Community Alert 2007-2011 on foot of a review looking at the social and demographic changes that have taken place in rural Ireland over the last two decades.
The development of the new five-year strategy will help focus and energise the efforts of all involved in the support of the 1,250 groups in existence, said Mr Lenihan, pointing out the review indicated there was solid support for the scheme in rural Ireland.
"While no one wants to alarm older people unnecessarily, it is a fact that they tend to be among the more isolated in our society and with the increasing mobility which people now happily enjoy, it can sometimes be the case that those who are less mobile are overlooked."
Deputy Garda Commissioner, Martin Callinan said under the new initiative, Community Alert committees would be set up in each Garda division and each Garda chief superintendent would designate a superintendent and inspector to deal with the committees.
Muintir na Tíre president Dermot O'Donnell paid tribute to the thousands of volunteers who have helped make the scheme such a success before going on to point out that the programme had expanded beyond simply helping to prevent crime.
"Community Alert means more than crime prevention alone," he said. "The programme has extended its brief into areas of social inclusion, care, community safety and advice."