Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the arrangements in place to facilitate the input by JPCs into the district and divisional policing plans for 2008; if he will provide details of the scheduling that has been worked out to facilitate same; and if he will confirm if all superintendents are aware that the JPCs have a statutory function in terms of informing local policing plans. [2839/08]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 228: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will publish the findings of the evaluation of the pilot JPCs; the way and when the remaining JPCs will be rolled out; and if he anticipates changes to the guidelines governing the original pilots. [2840/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 228 together.

Paragraph 5.3 of the guidelines under which the Joint Policing Committees operate provides that a Committee or a subcommittee of a Committee will act as a mechanism through which, firstly, 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 policing plans and, secondly, Garda Divisional and District officers can convey information and views to elected representatives and local communities to assist them in carrying out their duties, functions and activities. I am informed by the Garda authorities that Garda members of Joint Policing Committees are aware of the Committees' function with regard to local policing plans. The Committees provide a forum for consultations, discussions and recommendations on policing issues of local concern. Those consultations, discussions and recommendations inform as appropriate the formulation of Garda local policing plans. Following completion of the evaluation of the operation of the Committees in the pilot phase, revised guidelines will be drafted, taking into account the outcome of the evaluation and the experience of the pilot Committees. Following consultations with my colleagues, the Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I intend to issue as soon as possible revised guidelines to enable roll out of the Committees to all local authority areas in the State. The guidelines will provide inter alia a timetable for the roll-out. As the revised guidelines will be the output of the evaluation, it is not intended to publish the evaluation's findings as such.