Kilkenny is "a safe place to live in, work and socialise"

Kilkenny remains a safe place to live, work and socialise in according to a Garda Superintendent who spoke at County Hall.

That was the key message shared by Superintendent Sean O’Meara at the Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) meeting held at County Hall yesterday.

The rise in minor assaults in the 12-month period up to March of this year (218 compared to 167 for March 2024-March 2025) has led to increased patrolling and detections, as Gardaí continue to “drill into” the 2025/26 figures provided by the force’s Analysis Service.

Meanwhile, there was a three per cent increase in crimes classified as threats to murder, assault and violent crime with assaults causing harm in line with the national picture.

However, there was a near 23 per cent decline in non-residential/commercial burlgaries (37 in total) while residential burglaries (81) had fallen by 6.9 per cent on a year-on-year basis.

Theft and related offences, including fuel theft and drive-offs from service areas rose by 10 per cent while theft from shops also rose by 11 per cent (both in line with the national picture). During the first quarter of this year, detection rates for shop theft by Kilkenny Gardaí were among the highest in the country.

Meanwhile, fraud and sexual offences had both declined from the peak recorded during the first half of last year “but are still of concern to us” said Supt O’Meara.

The figures referenced by Supt O’Meara cover all Garda Stations in Kilkenny, including the areas attached to Waterford City on an administrative basis.

The meeting also discussed the findings of a comprehensive Community Safety Survey conducted by the LCSP, which drew engagement from 408 general respondents, 307 young people and 58 business owners from across each of Kilkenny’s Municipal Districts (MD).

Supt O’Meara saluted the “nuanced information” the survey had provided to Gardaí while LCSP Chair, Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick (FF) added that its findings had provided “invaluable insight directly from our communities”.

A pattern emerged from the survey, with substance/drug abuse, anti-social behaviour and a lack of visible Garda presence referenced by respondents from the city, Castlecomer, Callan/Thomastown and the Piltown MDs.

Cllr Fitzpatrick offered the following reaction to the survey’s findings.

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