Carlow-Kilkenny Fianna Fáil TD and Leas Ceann Comhairle John McGuinness has welcomed €50,000 in funding for a Kilkenny project under the 2026 Community Safety Fund, with the money coming from funds seized through the work of the Criminal Assets Bureau and An Garda Síochána.
The funding has been awarded to Amber Domestic Abuse CLG for its “Building Safer Communities: Domestic Abuse Prevention, Engagement and Awareness Initiative.”
The project sought €74,445 and has been awarded €50,000 under the fund. The project is listed as one of the 56 projects recommended for support in 2026.
Commenting on the announcement, John McGuinness TD said:
“This is a really positive initiative because money that has been seized as a result of criminal activity is being redirected into projects that can make a real difference in our communities.
“The work of the Criminal Assets Bureau and An Garda Síochána is not simply about taking assets out of the hands of criminals. Through the Community Safety Fund, some of those resources are being put to practical use in supporting communities and organisations working to make people safer.”
The Kilkenny project will focus on domestic abuse prevention, engagement and awareness, with the €50,000 allocation supporting work in this area.
Deputy McGuinness continued:
“Domestic abuse has a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities, and prevention and awareness are extremely important parts of tackling it.
“Amber Domestic Abuse CLG has secured this funding to support its work in Kilkenny, and I want to congratulate everyone involved in the project.
“Community organisations are often closest to the issues affecting people locally. They understand the challenges facing their communities and have the relationships and experience necessary to deliver practical support.”
A total of 56 applications have been recommended for funding under the Community Safety Fund 2026, with €4.846 million in funding involved.
The projects supported under the fund cover a broad range of community safety issues, including domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, addiction recovery and substance misuse, drug-related intimidation, youth intervention, anti-social behaviour, restorative justice, online safety and violence reduction.
Deputy McGuinness said the approach represented an important link between tackling criminality and investing in safer communities.
“There is something particularly appropriate about taking money that has been associated with criminal activity and using it to support organisations working to prevent harm and improve community safety.
“It is a very practical way of ensuring that resources recovered through the criminal justice system can have a positive impact locally.
“I commend Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan for continuing to support this initiative and, most importantly, I want to acknowledge the organisations and volunteers working on the ground every day.
“The €50,000 awarded to Amber Domestic Abuse CLG will support important work in Kilkenny, and I look forward to seeing the impact of that work in the community.”
