Editorial: Survey shows majority in Kilkenny feel safe

A RECENT meeting of Kilkenny Local Community Safety Partnership heard the results of a community safety survey, which included responses from the general public, young people, and business owners.

There were hundreds of responses, and it revealed that the majority of people feel safe here, while those in rural areas feel safer than those in urban areas.

The main issues identified were anti-social behaviour, substance abuse, and garda visibility.

Night-time was identified as the period when young people feel most unsafe; 31% reported never feeling unsafe.

For young people who responded, the main issue was identified as concerns around substance abuse, while many cited a need for improved lighting, CCTV, and garda presence.

Certain locations pop up time and time again, such as the river walks and skatepark. We highlighted recently a need for more garda patrols along those areas, which have seen increased footfall during the good weather.

This is sometimes leading to outdoor public consumption of alcohol, littering, and illegal use of e-scooters. It’s putting other people off from using public amenities.

Business owners have previously reported being terrorised by groups of young children, running into shops to torment staff and customers, or shoplifting.

The LCSP also heard some alarming statistics relating to road safety. That there have been 125 detections of driving under the influence on Kilkenny roads so far this year, compared to 166 in all of 2025, is concerning. Alcohol is still a factor in a number of fatal collisions; even one is too many.

PRIDE

Best wishes to all taking part in and celebrating Pride events in Kilkenny this weekend.

There’s a huge variety of different happenings in the city and county, with a parade on Saturday one of the main draws. After the success of last year, hopefully it continues to see great participation. Well done to organisers and sponsors.