Drug-related intimidation and the safety and wellbeing of young people were the focus of the first public meeting of the Galway County Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP ).
The meeting, held at the Raheen Woods Hotel in Athenry on Tuesday evening, heard from Maria Powers of the Western Regional Drug & Alcohol Task Force and Detective Inspector Brendan Carroll of An Garda Síochána about drug-related intimidation and the impact it can have on individuals, families and communities.
Ms Powers coordinates the Task Force Family Support Service and is also the liaison in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon for the DRIVE service, which provides support and referrals to families affected by drug and alcohol misuse.
Det Insp Carroll, the nominated Drug Related Intimidation Inspector for the North-Western Region, outlined the Garda response to people experiencing drug-related intimidation and the supports available through the Drug Related Intimidation Reporting Programme.
The meeting also examined issues affecting young people, with Emmet Major of Planet Youth presenting findings from the Planet Youth survey.
Mr Major, who coordinates the Planet Youth project in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, outlined research into adolescent behaviour and health, including substance use, vaping, alcohol, sleep and social media use.
Concerns of communities
Cathaoirleach and Chairman of the Galway County Local Community Safety Partnership, Cllr Andrew Reddington, said the presentations will inform the Community Safety Plan and will address concerns raised by communities.
“Community safety is about much more than policing. It is about creating communities where people feel safe, supported and able to raise concerns about the issues affecting them.
“Drug-related intimidation can have a serious impact on individuals and families, and it is important that people know there is support available,” he said. “We also need to listen to young people and understand the challenges they face, using the evidence available to us to inform how we respond.”
Marie Nicholson, coordinator of the Galway County LCSP, said the consultation had provided an opportunity to hear directly from communities.
“The issues raised through the consultation and at this meeting will help inform the work of the Partnership and the development of the County Community Safety Plan, which is currently in development following an extensive countywide public consultation process.
“The discussions on drug-related intimidation and young people demonstrate the importance of early intervention, accessible supports and effective links between communities and the organisations working with them.
“We want the Partnership to remain open and responsive to communities across Galway as we continue this work.”
The Galway County LCSP is a government initiative that replaces the former Joint Policing Committee (JPC ). It brings together community representatives, local councillors, voluntary and community organisations, An Garda Síochána, local authorities and other public bodies to identify and address community safety issues at a local level.
