Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will liaise with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to try and bring local authority and garda divisional boundaries into line with each other; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35415/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda Síochána's 2008 Policing Plan contains the Garda Commissioner's proposals to realign Garda Divisional boundaries to make them coterminous with local authority boundaries. One of the principle reasons for these changes is to facilitate both local Garda and local authority management in the administration of Joint Policing Committees as provided for under Section 22(1) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.

On 24 September, I launched, along with my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the roll out of the Joint Policing Committees established by the Garda Síochána Act 2005 to local authority areas in the State beyond the 29 already established under a pilot phase. I believe that these Committees are a very significant development which will make policing more responsive to local needs.