Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 7: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made to date in respect of the roll-out of the joint policing committees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40289/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Joint policing committees are provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Their purpose is to provide a forum where An Garda Síochána and the local authority — the two organisations which make the most significant contribution to preventing and tackling crime in a specific area — can come together, with the participation of members of the Oireachtas and community and voluntary interests, on matters affecting the area.

On 24 September I launched, with my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the roll-out of the committees from the pilot phase in 29 local authority areas to all 114 local authority areas. The guidelines set out the procedures to be followed in establishing the committees. Following the formal decision by a local authority meeting to establish a committee, a process is set in train to select the committee members from the elected members of the local authority, the members of the Oireachtas who have registered their interest in becoming members and the community and voluntary sector, and various procedural matters have to be dealt with. The Garda Síochána representatives will be appointed by the Garda Commissioner.

I am informed by my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government that the relevant local authorities have been requested to take the necessary steps to secure the establishment of these committees, and I understand this process is under way. In addition, my Department has written to the Garda Commissioner requesting that he arrange for the establishment of the committees in conjunction with the relevant local authorities. I look forward to a joint policing committee being established in each of the remaining local authority areas over the coming months.

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

This is an ongoing issue and joint policing committees have been successful in the pilot areas. I welcome the fact that some movement has been made. However, a deadline should be set for establishing them in every local authority area. Is the Minister driving this? Has he met the Commissioner to discuss this issue? Does the Minister consider it a priority? Local government funding has been slashed by 6.7% in my constituency. Has the Minister provided a specific budget to each local authority to enable it to establish joint policing committees?

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

A small level of funding will be available to support the work of committees generally but it will be a matter for each local authority to find the resources, although not much should be required for this. In answer to the question on whether I spoke to the Garda Commissioner, he was at the joint launch of the initiative. The Garda Commissioner and the Garda Síochána believe this is a tremendous initiative as do I. Having served on a local authority between 1979 to 1991 I know a major problem with regard to crime in the area was that we did not have interaction between ourselves and the local superintendent. Now, we will have this interaction throughout the country and many of myths about who is at fault for crime will be dealt with. Genuine local problems can be dealt with by these committees.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Will the Minister continue the policing committees on the same basis as they operated in the pilot? The notion of the most senior gardaí submitting to interaction with public representatives at a public forum is the only element of local accountability that we have ever seen in Ireland in policing. I agree with the Minister that it is a tremendous initiative. I am somewhat biased given that I was its author. I brought it to the former Minister, Michael McDowell, behind closed doors and persuaded him of it and he was as good as his word.

I want to know whether it will be on the same basis as the pilot because I believe the value of the joint policing committees has been somewhat undermined by the fact that, for example, my local authority has 23 public representatives. The Minister knows what public representatives are like.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Including Deputy Rabbitte.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

At least 22 of them must speak on each matter. Wily senior gardaí know this as well as we do and the result is that they do not have to answer any serious questions or engage in the quality of interaction that ought to take place and would take place if half a dozen public representatives developed specialist knowledge on policing and interacted with senior gardaí for the good of the local area. Will the Minister consider whether, in light of the experience to date, we ought to contain the number of public representatives and others who can be on the local committee? It only damages the efficacy of the idea.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Garda Commissioner and I launched the guidelines in September. Some tweaking of the guidelines was done with regard to the joint policing committees based on the experience of the pilots. However, it is more or less the same and I ask Deputies to familiarise themselves with the guidelines which set out exactly what are the functions and responsibilities.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

They are too unwieldy in size.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

That may well be and it is a matter for local authorities in particular to familiarise themselves with them. In my constituency, every Member of the Oireachtas has indicated a desire to be on the committee in Drogheda, which is a pilot. Public representatives all want to have their say. We can examine the guidelines as the committees proceed.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I agree with the concept of the committees and I believe they have potential. My constituency of Laois-Offaly is one Garda division. Under the current roll-out it appears we will have seven joint policing committees. Does it appear excessive to the Minister to have seven joint policing committees in one Garda division covering two counties? More importantly, in the context of the pilot scheme, will the Minister give an example of the success of the pilot scheme which encourages him to proceed?

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

One hundred and fourteen was chosen to reflect the number of local authorities in the country. Provision is made for a number of them to come together. With regard to the issue of practical successes off the top of my head I cannot state any from the 29 committees which are up and running. However, I know it has been successful in my area in that we have had interaction and complete understanding on particular problems in Drogheda. Councillors sometimes blame the Garda for not fully implementing the liquor laws. The reality, however, is that there is adequate provision in this regard within the intoxicating liquor legislation which local authorities have not implemented in terms, for example, of giving their advice to judges as to what they consider a due time for closure in the case of special exemption orders. This is something the Garda Síochána wishes to get across to local authorities.