Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reassure the Senator of that continued engagement. Throughout the pilot process we have had consistent engagement with the LGMA and with the County and City Management Association, CCMA. Last December we held webinars and information seminars where the chair of the JPCs and the administrative officers were also invited. We will continue to engage.

It is important to note an independent evaluation is looking at the three pilots. The reason I do not have that finalised is the Dublin partnership only published its plan in September. We need to give it time to bed down. I will be taking on board how those have worked and any changes that need to be made. I accept some counties are bigger than others, some have larger populations than others and some have more than one JPC. When we are rolling out new community partnerships we have to be mindful of that and of the reputation that is there.

I am clear there needs to continue to be a way for all councillors, whether on the committee or not, to be fully briefed by the community safety partnerships and have continuous engagement locally with members of An Garda SíochánaUnder the pilot schemes, there are meetings where all of the communities and the general public can engage on the partnership. Regardless of whether that happens more than once, there are many opportunities where everybody can have a say and be connected with the partnership while, at the same time, making sure that the size does not become so big that it cannot actually focus on the plan at hand.

I am absolutely committed to making sure these work, that it has full, proper and equal representation across all of the areas I mentioned from a public and private side and, most importantly, that the objective is not lost. It is not just the Garda that has a role in safety; it is all communities. I want to see that can work properly.