Seanad debates
Wednesday, 2 July 2025
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Local Community Safety Partnerships
2:00 am
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
I thank the Senator for requesting my attendance in the Seanad this morning. It is important I am here to answer the questions she has raised. Coincidentally, it is also of great benefit to me because the Ringsend active retirement group are here as guests of Senator Andrews and the Terenure men's shed are here as my guests. I am fortunate to have two important groups from my constituency here. It shows the benefit of senior Ministers turning up to answer questions in the Seanad.
The Senator will be aware that in April of this year I commenced the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which will regulate policing and community safety in this country. Under section 114 of the Act, I am entitled to make regulations to establish the local community safety partnerships the Senator referred to. I am pleased to say that last week I signed the regulations for the partnerships and they came into effect this week on Monday, 30 June. A total of 36 partnerships will be established across the country. Their purpose is to ensure the interests and needs of the local community are served by the individuals who will be on the partnerships. There will be a central and important role for councillors under these regulations and in the partnerships. Regulation 4 states there will be a requirement for seven elected members of the relevant local authority to be nominated to the safety partnership. The chairperson of each partnership is a matter for the partnership that will be assembled. Like the Senator, I recognise the qualifications councillors will have to serve as chairpersons and I am hopeful councillors will put themselves forward, as they will bring the benefits derived from being an elected representative of the area.
It is important to emphasise the partnerships are central to the Government's new whole-of-society approach to community safety. They will bring together elected representatives, gardaí and persons involved in important services provided by State agencies, such as the HSE and Tusla. The regulations I signed outline clearly how the safety partnerships will operate and ensure each partnership operates with transparency, strategic focus and strong local engagement.
The Senator referred to the fact the capital will be treated slightly differently. That is correct. There will be five safety partnerships for the five administrative areas within Dublin City Council's area. That is appropriate considering the vastness of the city. There will be two in Fingal as well. Each partnership will be led by a chair supported by a co-ordinator and administrator. These full-time permanent staff posts are resourced by the Department of justice and employed by the relevant local authority. It is important that the Department of justice plays an involved role in the partnerships. There is no point in setting them up and not giving them the support they require. In preparation for the establishment of the partnerships, local authorities have been recruiting these staff and so far 24 co-ordinators and 18 administrators have been appointed across the country.
The Act also provides for a national office for community safety to be established in my Department. The staff of this office have held a number of information sessions with staff appointed to the partnerships by local authorities. I am engaging with the officials in my Department who are responsible for the office. It will be a very important office and will ensure the partnerships operate effectively throughout the country.
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