Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 478: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if it is in agreement with the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors who believe that the establishment of forums representative of the community, Garda and local authority in areas with serious drug crime is essential to combat drug crime; the steps he is taking to assist in the establishing of such fora; if his attention has been drawn to the work of the main prototype here, the community policing forum in the north east inner city in Dublin; his views on whether similar fora with the same level of resources should be established in other areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26107/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, currently funding is made available via the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to a number of community policing fora, including the one in operation in Dublin's north inner city, which have been set up in the context of the Government's National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008.

The establishment of further community policing fora is being delivered in the context of the policy framework set out under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. This will ensure that such initiatives are developed in an appropriate, coherent and properly planned manner.

Under the 2005 Act, Joint Policing Committees (JPC's) will be established in each of the local authority administrative areas throughout the State. They will bring together representatives from the local authority, An Garda Síochána, the Oireachtas and the community and voluntary sector to discuss and make recommendations on matters affecting the policing of the area, including issues relating to drug misuse.

This is a significant new statutory arrangement with regard to how An Garda Síochána and local authorities will interact in relation to policing matters.

As the first phase towards implementation, the Government has established pilot JPCs in 29 local authority areas. An evaluation of the pilot phase is being undertaken with the intention that JPCs will be established in all local authority areas as early as possible in 2008.

The provisions of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 reflect the Government's view that in certain areas the establishment of more locally focused and based policing fora feeding into the work of Joint Policing Committees are required under this policy framework. Section 36 (2) (d) of the Act provides for the establishment of local policing fora by a JPC where they are deemed necessary. Taking account of these provisions, priority will be given to establishing local policing fora in all Local Drugs Task Force areas and other areas experiencing problems of drug misuse.

Work, which includes examining the issue of resources required for this initiative, is underway in this regard led by my Department. This is being done in conjunction with the continued implementation of Action 11 of the National Drugs Strategy by An Garda Síochána.

I commend the continuing important work being done by the Dublin North Inner City Community Policing Forum and by the other similar fora already set up under the Drugs Strategy for, as I have previously stated, I want, as much as I can as Justice Minister, to foster a spirit of national partnership in tackling crime.

I am very much in favour of fora where members of a local authority and the senior Garda officers responsible for policing the area, together with Oireachtas members and community and voluntary interests, can consult, discuss and make recommendations on matters affecting policing of their community. These committees make policing more responsive to community needs and make the job of the Garda in tackling particular problems easier by providing a forum for co-operation with all the interests involved.

All of this reflects the Government's strong view that community policing fora initiatives continue to play an important role in enhancing drug supply reduction measures being taken under our National Drugs Strategy.