Derek McDowell (Labour)

It is customary for a Minister to attempt to reply to most of the points raised. Although I kept careful note of the points to which I would like to reply, I would need an hour to do so.

Senator Jim Walsh made a number of interesting points, one of which, which was echoed by other Senators, including Senators Mansergh and Terry, related to the interaction of the police force with local communities. One of the things I hope to do in the new legislation on the Garda Síochána is examine a formal statutory basis for local police partnerships of one kind or another. I want to consult deeply and widely on the issue, but I am aware from my colleagues in the Lower House that there has sometimes been considerable disquiet on the part of members of local authorities that their relationship with the police, which is sometimes good and sometimes not so good, is based on a relationship of inequality. It is not the function of the police to interact with local authority members. What I am tempted to do – it is subject to getting the sanction of the Government – is put in place something that would reflect the Patten report emphasis on local policing, local political involvement in policing and interaction between local government representatives and the police force. It is necessary to have the valuable, direct responsibility of the Garda Síochána to the Minister and the Houses of the Oireachtas, but something more in terms of accountability and interaction with elected public representatives is required. I am interested in examining this issue.

A number of Senators and Deputies have asked whether we should revisit the issue of the licensing hours. The growth in alcohol consumption in Ireland was significant for a long time at the end of which the change in the licensing hours only occurred. One cannot, therefore, attribute the growth in consumption of drink to the licensing hours. Nonetheless, I am sympathetic to the notion that there should be some role for local authorities in determining licensing hours in their areas. It may well be that there are areas of our larger cities which should have later hours than others and that in quieter parts of the country the community might prefer the active nightlife in their areas to come to a close at an earlier hour than in other places.