Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason his Department and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government are only now, at the end of 2007, in discussion with local authority representative bodies regarding the disbursement of the funding to joint policing committees provided for 2007. [27398/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Joint policing committees provide a forum where a local authority and the senior Garda officers responsible for the policing of that local authority's area, with the participation of Oireachtas members and community interests, can consult, discuss and make recommendations on matters affecting the policing of the area. The establishment of these committees has great potential to ensure that policing is responsive to local needs. The committees are provided for by the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and operate under guidelines issued by me, after consultation with the Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. In view of the innovative nature of the committees and the number that will be established — there are 114 local authorities in the country — the committees are being piloted in 29 local authority areas for a limited period under initialguidelines.

I plan to provide for the establishment of a committee in each local authority area in the State as early as possible in 2008, following consultation with my ministerial colleagues. Before doing so, it would be useful to consider the experience gained in the operation of the 29 committees currently established. As part of this process, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I have decided to hold a consultation seminar on 29 November. The purpose of the seminar, which we will attend, will be to consider the lessons from the operation of the pilot committees. The outcomes of the seminar will be used in the process of preparing the guidelines under which the committees will be rolled out to all local authority areas. It is planned to invite representatives of the participants in the committees, which will include members of the Garda Síochána, the relevant local authorities, the Oireachtas and representatives of the community and voluntary sector and the representative associations for local authority members and city and county managers. The committees, established last year and this year as part of the pilot phase, have focused on the issues that they consider have the highest priority for them and on finding the most suitable methods of working. They have made good progress and the discussion of their experience will contribute to the outcome of the consultation seminar.

My Department and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will provide financial assistance for the general support of the committees. It is envisaged that this will cover such areas as training and development, travel expenses for representatives on the committees of the community and voluntary sector and a contribution towards support for staffing for the committees in the larger local authority areas. Provision is made in the Garda Vote and by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for this assistance. While none of this funding has yet been drawn down by the committees, this has not restricted their operation.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

During the pilot phase, discussions between the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the office for local authority management have taken place on a number of matters relating to the operation of the committees, including the use of funding available. My Department is in close contact on a continuing basis with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on all matters concerning the committees. A meeting will take place in the near future between the two Departments, the County and City Managers Association and the office for local authority management to discuss a range of issues relating to the committees, including utilisation of the funding available. If it is believed necessary, consideration will be given to retrospective support and I expect that any outstanding issues will be resolved, particularly in the roll-out of the committees.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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In reply to a parliamentary question I tabled recently, the Minister indicated, as he confirmed in reply to this question, that none of the €500,000 allocation has been drawn down, which is strange considering JPCs have been in existence for more than a year. The Department is only getting around to resourcing the committees at this stage. Will the Minister encourage council officials and the chairpersons of the JPCs to deliver on one of the functions that has an implication for funding, which is to host public meetings concerning matters affecting the policing of local authority administrative areas? Does he agree holding such meetings would ensure the public is aware of the existence of the committees and it might also encourage Members to liaise with them?

My feedback is that attendance by Members and, in some areas, councillors at committee meetings is low because they believe the committees are nothing more than talking shops. The Minister may agree that unless the JPCs are resourced properly and can conduct all their functions, including holding public meetings, they are in danger of becoming nothing more than talking shops. Will he provide a special additional budget to guarantee these meetings, which are provided for in the terms of reference of such committees, take place so that the public can have maximum input and table questions? There is a future for JPCs and it is vital they are fully resourced to ensure policing becomes a matter at the lowest level.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the sentiments expressed by the Deputy. In replying to Deputy Rabbitte earlier about one of a number of cases he instanced of difficulties which vulnerable individuals in the Tallaght area have with anti-social behaviour targeted at them, I stated that the operation of these committees could be of great value in ensuring effective community policing on the ground to address such issues.

A meeting will take place in the near future between the two Departments, the County and City Managers Association and the office for local authority management to discuss a range of issues relating to the committees, including utilisation of the funding available. If necessary, consideration will be given to retrospective support. It is envisaged that the funding the two Departments is providing will be used to cover such areas as training and development, travel expenses for the representatives of the community and voluntary sector and a contribution towards the support of staffing of the committees in larger areas. The committees function as local authority committees and facilities such as location and secretarial facilities are provided by the relevant local authority, as are councillors' travel and subsistence expenses.

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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When does the Minister expect the scheme to be rolled out throughout the State, given the committees have been very successful in the pilot areas?

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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It is clear from my reply that the scheme will be rolled out next year. The harmonisation of Garda divisional boundaries is an important issue to be addressed, but it will not delay the roll-out.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Is the Minister amenable to tweaking the guidelines? I am a member of a joint policing committee and my experience is that it is entirely too clumsy. The committee comprises 23 public representatives and representatives of community organisations, which means that the last thing it has is a qualitative interchange with the senior gardaí present. With all due respect to the county managers and senior gardaí, their meeting is not likely to devise structures that will make the process more valuable in exercising civilian oversight of the quality of policing in local communities.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am open to constructive suggestions on the guidelines. One of the first steps I took at my initial meeting with the Commissioner was to ask him to initiate a review of Garda boundaries to ensure individual policing areas correspond with the remit of the policing committees because that is a major difficulty in servicing the committees from the Garda's perspective and in the context of the structural character of the committees.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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What steps will the Minister take to address the lack of community and voluntary representation on some of the committees? Some community and voluntary representatives were appointed but their appointments have lapsed. It is difficult to keep people such as these in particular involved, which was one of the key features of these committees when they were set up.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Again, arrangements are in place, in the legislation and in the system, for community and voluntary representation. I understand some of the community pillars have continued to operate under the current system.