Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I do not think anybody in the Chamber or outside of it doubts the interests of local authority members in community safety or working closely with gardaí. Senator Boyhan, in rather Churchillian tones, spoke about how he will have engaged with them on their work at a local level. As the Minister outlined, public safety is about a lot more than just sitting on a committee. It is essential that, on a year-round basis, councillors and elected and community representatives co-operate with the Garda to ensure public safety in our communities. It is also critical that representatives at a national level lead by example and ensure they support gardaí and speak out strongly when gardaí are dealing with public safety issues.

Senators Chambers and Daly have acknowledged that this was a big issue in Fianna Fáil. We had very serious concerns about the role of councillors. It led to a lot of debate and discussion in the party. We are very happy with how the Minister responded and her willingness to engage. In response to Senator Wall's query, in her response the Minister can reflect on the engagement she had and the commitment given to the AILG and LIMA. That would be important.

That level of engagement, rather than simply talking about the issue, is critical. We are now seeing a very clear understanding that we can ensure the chair is an elected representative and that local representatives, as well as others, take part in these new fora.I, like others, thank the Minister for engaging with Fianna Fáil Senators and local authority representative organisations on this issue. That spirit of partnership should continue because it is not just about the setting up of these bodies or getting the members around the table; it is about what they are able to do in their communities. There are plenty of examples of local authority subcommittees that are completely ineffectual, whereas we have seen over the years that joint policing committees are effective. I have no doubt, because the committees in question have a broader remit, that they can work well.

We thank the Minister. In her response, she will allay quite a number of the concerns, as she has already done with respect to those of our Seanad group and the local authority associations.