Community Alert would be 'huge benefit'

Setting up a Community Alert system for Kilcullen would be of 'huge benefit' to the town, says Cllr Ivan Keatley, pictured on left above with Joe Dooley.

Speaking at the recent Community & Sports Clubs Open Evening, writes Brian Byrne, he said it would mean that Kilcullen would be a part of a Community Emergency Response scheme which Kildare County Council is working on.

"There have been a number of events in recent years, involving snow, and floods, when the Council's switchboards have almost reached meltdown," he said. "The Council is now looking at tapping into the Community Watch/Community Alert system to establish a database of phone numbers through which information can be provided in an emergency."

The councillor also said a Community Alert in Kilcullen would help An Garda to 'put a cap' on crimes of theft. "I think they will be vital for communities in the future. Robbers these days can take advantage of our improved roads and motorways to get away in a matter of minutes from the scenes of their crime. So the quicker that the gardai can be alerted, the better is the chance of dealing with it."

The Open Evening was organised under the auspices of Kilcullen 2017, the implementation group for the community Development Plan which came out of the Community Survey commissioned last year by Kilcullen Community Action.