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

When they are set up, we will look at them. We should not say in the first instance, "Let us start reviewing them." Let us get them up and running. Let us get them operating effectively and successfully. Everyone here wants them to succeed and I know that the partnerships themselves will want to succeed. If we manage to get this right, it will be a major step forward in terms of just raising issues of concern at local authority level. That is where the issues are really highlighted. This will provide a really useful mechanism to raise issues of concern relating to policing, housing and health.

There will be a statutory office in my Department with responsibility for the overview of the partnership scheme. Partnerships will not be set up as individual separate satellites where they operate independently without recourse to what is happening in other areas. The office in my Department will play a crucial role in ensuring that we see a harmonised and effective role throughout the country. There is no reason these cannot succeed and as Minister for justice, I am committed to seeing them succeed.

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