Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has satisfied himself that the Joint Policing Committees will have an opportunity to input into the formulation of local policing plans for 2008, as per guideline 5.3 of the Ministerial Guidelines under which the JPCs were established, in time for their publication pre-January 2008 in view of the fact that JPC members are unaware of any arrangements for same having been scheduled to date. [27400/07]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Joint Policing Committees have not held public meetings in their local areas; and if the scope of his planned evaluation of the JPCs operation at the end of November 2007 will be limited by the fact that the JPCs have not conducted this core function. [27399/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 106 together.

The Joint Policing Committees currently established in a pilot phase operate under guidelines issued by my predecessor as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 23 May, 2007, following consultation with the Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. In accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which provides for the establishment of such Committees, the guidelines state that the joint policing committees' function is to serve as a forum for consultations, discussions and recommendations on matters affecting the policing of the local authority's administrative area, in particular by carrying out a number of activities, including arranging and hosting public meetings concerning matters affecting the policing of the local authority's administrative area. The guidelines also provide that the Committees will act as a mechanism through which elected representatives and local communities can have a role in conveying information and views to Garda Divisional and District Officers to assist them in the formulation and operation of their annual policing plans.

The Garda Síochána Act provides that Joint Policing Committees shall be established and maintained by a local authority and the Garda Commissioner in accordance with the guidelines. It is therefore the responsibility of each Committee to fulfil the provisions of the guidelines.

The Garda Síochána Policing Plan for 2008 will shortly be finalised. Once finalised, it will be used to prepare Divisional and District Policing Plans, and the Committees can act as a mechanism to assist Garda Divisional and District Officers in this task.

I believe that generally the Committees established have made good progress to date in carrying out their functions and will continue to make progress. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I have decided to hold a consultation seminar on 29 November with participants in the pilot Committees to consider the lessons from their operation to date in preparation for roll out of the Committees to all 114 local authorities in the State. I believe that the seminar will provide a suitable opportunity to discuss the issues raised by the Deputy.