Police Ombudsman Gives Positive Assessment Of Community Safety In Wexford

Ireland’s Police Ombudsman has given a broadly positive assessment of policing and community safety in County Wexford following a meeting with the Wexford Local Community Safety Partnership.

Emily Logan Police Ombudsman with Fiosru met members of the partnership in Wexford to discuss policing, community safety and the operation of the new complaints system.

The Local Community Safety Partnerships replaced the former Joint Policing Committees and bring together a range of agencies and community representatives to focus on safety issues at local level.

During the Wexford meeting, the Ombudsman said there appeared to be a strong relationship between Gardaí and the local community.

She said Wexford is not among the counties generating the highest number of complaints to the Police Ombudsman and highlighted figures showing that 91 per cent of people surveyed said they feel safe in their community.

Members of the partnership raised a number of priorities, including Garda presence and visibility, road safety, public lighting and anti-social behaviour.

The Ombudsman also praised Wexford for its progress in developing its local community safety strategy and noted that working groups have been established around issues including domestic violence and mental health.

The visit also provided an opportunity to explain how the new Police Ombudsman system operates.

The body, which was established in April 2025, independently investigates complaints concerning members of An Garda Síochána.

Under the new arrangements, all complaints — whether made directly to the Ombudsman or through a Garda station — are assessed by the Ombudsman’s office.

Lower-level complaints, including issues involving customer service, failure to properly investigate a matter, lack of contact with a complainant or delays in returning property, can be referred back to Gardaí for local resolution.

The Ombudsman said around half of complaints which meet the legal threshold are currently dealt with in this way.

She said that of 717 cases referred for local resolution, only eight complainants subsequently returned to the Ombudsman saying they were unhappy with the outcome.

More serious cases remain subject to independent investigation by the Ombudsman’s office.

These can include incidents involving death or serious harm, which Gardaí are legally required to refer for independent investigation.

The Ombudsman said the aim of the system is to deal with lower-level matters more quickly while ensuring serious complaints remain subject to independent oversight.