Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendments, if that is in order. I welcome the Minister to the House today. This is an important conversation. I spent 11 years on Kildare County Council and attended joint policing committees, JPCs. It is important that we ensure local authority members continue to be represented on JPCs or community safety partnerships as they are now.

Our amendments have been tabled to ensure that a local authority member will be the chair of community safety partnerships. We have heard that this may be the case, but we seek clarity on that. Senator Chambers has said with absolute clarity that is the case. I have heard no absolute clarification. I ask the Minister to clarify what has been said in the Chamber. We all want clarification on this. As far as I am concerned, JPCs have done a wonderful job.

It has been mentioned that local authority members are on the ground and have local knowledge. We must ensure that is taken into account because without it community safety does not happen. People elected to that position are those who are contacted about issues seven days a week. We have all received phone calls on a Saturday and Sunday night from people who are looking for us to engage with local gardaí to ensure their communities are safe. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, those people are their elected representatives. That link should never be broken. That is what we are all saying today.

The amendments we have put forward would ensure that a local authority member would be the chair and that 20% of the membership of the community safety partnership would be from the local authority. The Minister has indicated that there could be ten additional members and there is no barrier to that. The Minister might tease that out a bit more when she speaks about regulations. How would the ten members be elected? Do they have to nominate themselves against community members who may come forward? There could potentially be 17 members. The Minister has indicated there will be seven. How will that process work in reality? The Minister may say she has to wait for regulations. When local authority members are listening today they are the questions they will ask. They are also asking for the absolute clarification that was mentioned today.

We welcome that there has been discussion on this and in the other House. We are all trying to ensure local authority members continue to be the cornerstone of community safety, which they have always been.

In respect of municipal district meetings, having a friendly and cordial association with local community gardaí is essential for all local authority members and the work they do. It is also essential for communities and community safety. We have been told that there will be clarification on this. In her reply we hope the Minister clarifies the situation and ensures local authority members listening to the debate are reassured. They should chair community safety partnerships. I also ask the Minister to confirm how the additional ten members could be local authority members.