Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)

I will be taking an active role. It is an important time and occasion, now that these regulations have been signed and are being rolled out. The community partnerships will not be on their own trying to formulate their own guidance because, as I said, there will be a National Office for Community Safety, which is a statutory office that will be based within my Department. That office will be providing guidance for the partnerships with overlapping areas. Such collaboration can include exploring opportunities for joint initiatives, shared resources and joint meetings as well.

As laid out in the regulations, each local community partnership may have up to 30 members. Mandatory members will include representatives from the local authority, An Garda Síochána, the Health Service Executive and the Child and Family Agency. Each local community safety partnership will be supported by two full-time permanent staff within the local authority. Each partnership will be led by a voluntary chair and vice-chairperson who will be elected from among the membership.

It is my intent to start meeting these partnerships. It is very important that all of us, and me in particular, start selling them and telling people about the benefits that come from them.

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