Text Alert Group's recent AGM
The Secretary of the Group is Aileen Thorpe and Maurice O'Mahony is Treasurer. Phil O'Brown is the new PRO.
Garda Sergeant Eoin Phibbs attended and gave the meeting an insight on how Text Alert helps policing. He also offered that The Garda station in Kilcullen can be a location where you individuals and groups can sign up for text alert, as the forms will be available there.
It was decided to order to continue the scheme and to organise signage that there will be an annual subscription of €10 per household. Donations are also accepted, and fees can be given to any committee member.
The Text Alert system encourages people to be aware of suspicious activity in their area and communicate it to An Garda, through whom the participants will get text warnings of such activity.
The Kilcullen Garda District Text Alert Scheme, organised two years ago, has been actively encouraging estates in Kilcullen town to join in their Scheme, which up to now has been mainly organised in the rural districts outside the town. Scores of Alerts have been processed and transmitted to participants in Old Kilcullen, Calverstown and Castlefish areas since it went live in July 2013.
The alerts have included details of suspicious activities and vehicles, burglaries, and thefts of property and animals.
Any group or residential area can contact Sabina Reddy if interested, or email the Diary (kilcullendiary@gmail.com) and we'll put you in touch.
The national Text Alert system was officially launched in September 2013 and is operated by the Gardaí with Muintir na Tíre, Neighbourhood Watch and the Irish Farmers Association.
More than 100,000 people are signed up to the scheme from 550 groups across the country. More than one million SMS messages have been sent via the system to date.
