Written answers

Tuesday, 3 October 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Community Policing

9:00 pm

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 167: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if it was his intention when drafting the guidelines for the pilot Joint Policing Committees to promote an inclusive membership representative of the local areas and his views on amending the guidelines prior to the extension of the pilot to guarantee that representation in the membership of JPCs includes all political parties with representation in the local area. [30694/06]

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on amending the guidelines governing the pilot Joint Policing Committees prior to the extension of the pilot to guarantee that representation in the membership of JPCs including all political parties with representation in the local area. [30695/06]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 184 together.

The Garda Síochána Act 2005 provides for the establishment of a joint policing committee in each local authority administrative area. The purpose of the committees is to provide a forum where a local authority and the senior Garda officers responsible for the policing of that area, with the participation of Oireachtas members and community interests, can consult, discuss and make recommendations on matters affecting the policing of the area.

In view of the innovative nature of the committees and the number which will be established, I decided, following consultation with my colleagues the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, to pilot the committees in 22 local authority areas for a limited period.

I issued the guidelines for these pilot committees in June 2006. I was anxious to strike in the guidelines the right balance between inclusiveness and effectiveness in the size and composition of the committees. With regard to membership of the committees by local authority members, the guidelines provide either for all local authority members to be members of a committee or for representation of each political grouping on the local authority, depending on the size of the local authority. Because of the size of its population, the Dublin City Council area has in addition to an overall committee five sub-committees, corresponding to the Council's five operational areas. The guidelines provide for membership by all the local authority members for the appropriate area on the relevant subcommittee. With regard to the overall committee, they provide that each political grouping represented on the Council be represented to the greatest extent possible.

The Oireachtas members represented on a committee are chosen from among their number by those members of the Oireachtas who have registered their interest in being a member of that committee. If the members of the Oireachtas are unable to choose members, they are chosen by lot.

The pilot phase will end in mid-2007, after which there will be a time-limited review of the guidelines in the light of the experience of the pilot committees. As part of that review, the provisions regarding the composition of the committees will be considered. Following the review, the guidelines will be amended as necessary and new guidelines issued for a full rollout of the committees.

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