Kilkenny strives for Purple Flag status to promote city as a safe place to work and socialise

Kilkenny City is still striving towards gaining Purple Flag recognition which will make the city a safer place to socialise and work in.
Last April the local gardaí launched Operation City Safe which is ‘a policing operation designed for Kilkenny to obtain the purple flag status.’
Superintendent Derek Hughes told members of the Joint Policing Committee that in April, June and November of last year there was a reduction in over 66% in the rate of assault.
“We stop rows before they happen. Buses bringing in people who are going out on the town drop off in two locations and we have gardaí present at these points. Anyone who is drunk is arrested. A public order arrest prevents an assault before it happens.
“There was one weekend night recently and there was not a single call to the garda station. It appears that City Safe is dampening down all sorts of crime. We have achieved the objective of Kilkenny City Safe to reduce the level of assault. This has benefits for both the local economy and tourism,” he said.
Councillor Tomas Breatnach commended the garda initiative.
“We are creating a new culture that when people are out socialising that safety has to be an integral part of it. This is to be welcomed and encouraged,” he said.
Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick also congratulated the gardaí on Operation City Safe.
“There is great engagement between the gardaí and the public and people are very impressed by the level of garda visibility, especially at the weekends.”
Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce along with Kilkenny County Council have both voiced their support for the Purple Flag initiative. The Purple Flag status is a European wide initiative that recognises an area as a safe and welcoming place to socialise.