Chance to claim text alert rebate
The €100,000 scheme, introduced by Justice Minister Frances FitzGerald, enables groups such as Community Alert to reclaim a minimum of €100 against “eligible operating costs” such as texts and insurance cover that they may have incurred over the past year.
Claimants must have registered with An Garda, using form TA1 before September 22 last and be compliant with agreed Text Alert guidelines.
Over 1,000 community groups nationally are believed to be eligible for rebates, including 170 across Cork county.
Rebate applications can be made by post or online through from the Muintir na Tíre website up to October 31.
Southern Community Alert Officer Diarmuid Cronin is urging groups “not to wait until the last minute” to lodge their applications.
“By their very nature rural organisations may have logistical issues when it comes to convening meetings or instigating initiatives so I would ask eligible groups to set their mind to claiming this money now,” he said.
“The application form should take about three minutes to complete once the necessary information such as insurer, bank details etc., are to hand.”
Piloted in Kerry in 2008, Text Alert was officially launched in September 2013.
Under the scheme, an individual may report ‘suspicion activity’ to the gardaí.
If a senior garda decides a text alert is merited, it is forwarded to a ‘community group contact’, by text or e-mail. The contact will disperse the message to the group members.
Subscription to the system averages about €10 per annum and an estimated 150,000 subscribers generate upwards of 180,000 messages per month.
“It can be a huge deterrent to criminals and in some jurisdictions crime levels, especially burglaries, have fallen by an estimated 50% since text alerts were introduced”, says Mr. Cronin.
Information/rebate form: www.muintir.ie
