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Press release

Proceeds of crime fund to support community projects open for applications by Minister McEntee

  • money seized from proceeds of crime to be used to support investment in communities
  • Community Safety Innovation Fund will have initial allocation of €2 million
  • call for applications for innovative ways to improve community safety

The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has today opened applications for a new fund which will see the proceeds of crime re-invested in local projects to improve community safety.

Reflecting the success of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in seizing proceeds from criminal activity, the new fund will use money seized from the proceeds of crime to support investment in community safety projects.

The Community Safety Innovation Fund, which is expected to grow in the coming years, will have an initial outlay of €2 million for this year.

It is anticipated that the kind of projects which may be supported will include activities intended to:

  • tackle crime or reduce the fear of crime; improve community safety and feelings of safety
  • support the creation of safe and resilient communities
  • reduce reoffending
  • divert vulnerable individuals away from engagement in criminal behaviour

The Minister said:

"An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau have achieved significant success in seizing the ill-gotten gains of criminal gangs who seek to inflict misery on so many communities.

"This new fund will ensure that the success of An Garda Síochána and CAB is reflected in new investments in our communities, and on projects which will build strong and safe communities.

"Community Safety is about people being safe and, just as importantly, feeling safe within their communities. This, of course, goes beyond policing alone.

"This fund will ensure that the best proposals get the funding they need, and it will encourage the development of innovative ways in which to improve community safety from those people who understand local needs best.

"For example, the new fund could help communities improve public spaces, or fund local sporting or arts facilities."

The Fund is open to bodies involved in community safety and will support them in addressing local needs and opportunities for innovation not provided for in other funds managed by departments and agencies. The call for applications for the Fund runs from 6 April until 8 June 2022 and grants will range from €20,000 to €150,000.

The development of innovative ideas will also allow best practice on community safety and youth justice to be shared with other partnerships and communities nationally as new proposals are developed.

This launch fulfils a commitment in Justice Plan 2022 to seek applications for community safety projects and similar initiatives from bodies involved in community safety.

Completed Application Forms are to be returned by 5pm on 8 June 2022 to CommunitySafetyInnovationFund@justice.ie

For more information visit https://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/CSI-Fund-2022.

Notes

The open call for Community Safety Innovation Funding runs from 6 April 2022 to – 8 June 2022. €2 million has been made available to support the development of community safety through innovative, local community based initiatives.

The Community Safety Innovation Fund will:

  • allow proceeds of crime to be directed into community projects to support community safety
  • ensure that the most appropriate proposals to improve community safety will access the funding they need
  • encourage the development of innovative ways in which to improve community safety from those people who best understand local community safety needs
  • allow best practice on community safety and youth justice to be shared with other partnerships and communities nationally as new proposals are developed
  • reflect and highlight the success of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in seizing the proceeds from criminal activity

Applications will be assessed against stated criteria outlined in the call for proposals to ensure funding is allocated to encourage the development of innovative ways in which to improve community safety from those people who understand local community safety needs best.

Under Budget 2022, €2 million was allocated to establish the Community Safety Innovation Fund to support local communities and reflect significant successes of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau.

It is planned that funding will be allocated via a process similar to that successfully used at present to distribute Dormant Accounts Funding.

Since its establishment, CAB has denied and deprived criminals in excess of approximately €199 million.

Additionally, the budget allocated to CAB has increased significantly, from approximately €1.053 million in 1996 to approximately €10.9 million in 2022, building upon the successes of the Bureau.

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