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

I note what the Deputy has said about the JPCs, which did a lot of good work. Like me, the Deputy is a former member of a local authority. At stages, they could become very formulaic, with many gardaí, including senior gardaí, sitting there and just engaging directly with local elected councillors on very specific issues. Many of the issues raised at JPCs were issues the Garda could not answer because they related to issues such as housing, health or childcare in terms of the role played by Tusla. There will be a benefit in having a broader range of people on the partnerships.

The Deputy asked if we would be reviewing the partnerships' operation. Of course, I will be keeping a close eye on them and there will be an assessment after a period of time as to the extent to which they are succeeding and achieving the objectives that we all want to see them achieve.

The Deputy asked about the process for the HSE and Tusla to nominate people. In the first instance, those bodies will put people forward and that will be the process by which individuals from those organisations come onto the partnerships.

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