Niall Collins (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 305: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of the establishment of a committee (details supplied); the persons who will constitute its membership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46641/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Joint Policing Committees are provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Their purpose is provide a forum where An Garda Síochána and the local authority — the two organisations which make the most significant contribution to preventing and tackling crime in a specific area — can come together, with the participation of members of the Oireachtas and community and voluntary interests, on matters affecting the area.

On 24 September I launched, with my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the roll out of the Committees from an initial pilot phase in 29 local authority areas to all 114 local authority areas. The Guidelines which I made set out the membership of, and the procedures to be followed in setting up, the Committees.

Membership will be made up of local authority elected members, Oireachtas members, local authority officials, Garda officers nominated by the Commissioner and persons representing the community and voluntary sector.

Following the formal decision by a local authority meeting to establish a Committee, a process is set in train to select the Committee members from the elected members of the local authority, the members of the Oireachtas who have registered their interest in becoming members and the community and voluntary sector, and various procedural matters have to be dealt with. The Garda Síochána representatives will be appointed by the Garda Commissioner.

I am informed that the relevant local authorities, including Limerick County Council, have been requested to take the necessary steps to secure the establishment of these Committees, and I understand that this process is now underway. In addition, my Department has written to the Garda Commissioner requesting that he arrange for the establishment of the Committees in conjunction with the relevant local authorities.