Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2008

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Joint Policing Committees

11:00 pm

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if changes are planned to the functioning of the local policing committees; the number of local authority areas which have a functioning committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27018/08]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Joint Policing Committees are provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Because a Committee will be established in each local authority area in the State — of which there are 114 — it was considered desirable to run a time-limited pilot to gain experience in their operation before full rollout. There are now 29 Committees established in the pilot phase, and they operate under guidelines issued in May 2007 by the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, following consultation with the Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

As part of the evaluation of the pilot phase, my predecessor as Minister and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government hosted a consultation seminar last November, at which participants in the pilot Committees considered the lessons from the operation of the Committees to date. A very useful seminar, organised by Co-operation Ireland, was also held in Monaghan in May, at which participants in the Committees and in the nearest equivalent bodies in Northern Ireland, the District Policing Partnerships, discussed their experiences.

My Department has prepared amended guidelines which take on board the experience gained in the pilot phase and allow for the establishment of Committees in all local authority areas in the State. This work was carried out in consultation with the Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, An Garda Síochána and representatives of local authority members and management. As provided for in the Garda Síochána Act, I am currently formally consulting with my two Ministerial colleagues, and I expect to have their response in the very near future.

Following receipt of their response, I intend to issue the guidelines, which will enable Committees to be established in each local authority area in the State, at an early date. In particular, my aim is to begin the roll out to other areas prior to the Summer break and have Joint Policing Committees in place in all local authority areas this year. I believe the Committees are already making a major contribution to the further improvement of the policing of their areas, by building up a partnership between An Garda Síochána, the local authority, Oireachtas members and the community and voluntary sector and will continue to do so.

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