National Strategy for Improving Community Safety

The National Strategy for Improving Community Safety is an unprecedented, whole-of-government commitment to redefine and improve community safety across Ireland.

Community safety is about being people being safe and feeling safe in their communities. It cannot be the responsibility of An Garda Síochána alone. Instead, community safety requires a strategic partnership approach, bringing together a range of service providers and the community to identify and respond to issues relating to community safety in a proactive, joined up way.

The first National Strategy for Improving Community Safety will establish a foundational, responsive, and relevant policy framework that enables public service bodies and communities to begin to work together in a coordinated manner to make communities safer.

The National Office for Community Safety is leading on the consultation for this Strategy on behalf of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

You can contribute to the development of this new National Strategy by taking part in our online survey which will open on 5 February 2026

If you would like to receive a link to the survey via email contact strategy@communitysafety.ie.

Information on previous stages of consultation for this survey:

(1). Written submissions on thematic areas identified in our ‘Issues Paper’

Following a preliminary literature review an Issues Paper was developed by the National Office for Community Safety highlighting and inviting comments on five key thematic areas. The Issues Paper opened for submissions on the 30 October and closed on the 28 November 2025. 108 submissions were received. These will be published on this page later this year.

See below links to the paper.

• National Strategy for Improving Community Safety Issues Paper
• National Strategy for Improving Community Safety Issues Paper (GA)

All submissions will be published on this page at a later stage this year.

(2). ‘Townhall’ engagements

We held series of public consultations around the country. Please see below list of dates, locations and times.

(3). Targeted and bespoke engagements

We met with specific groups of people such as older people, young people, people who live in rural areas, people effected by homelessness, migrants and refugees, LGBTQI+ people, people with disabilities, people from the Traveller and Roma community throughout November, December and January.

We will be publishing a report on this page on all of the engagements we held in preparing this Strategy.

Any queries in relation to the National Strategy for Improving Community Safety should be directed to strategy@communitysafety.ie