Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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128. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the practical interactions between the Garda Inspectorate, the Policing Authority, Garda management and her office in relation to producing a Garda service level agreement, an updated Garda customer service charter and the policing plan; if she has approved the policing plan for 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34843/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Garda Commissioner sets out the proposed arrangements for policing services each year through the Annual Policing Plan. Section 22 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, provides that when developing the annual plan the Garda Commissioner must have regard to the policing priorities determined for the year in question. The priorities are those set by the Policing Authority in relation to policing matters and those set by me in relation to matters concerning state security. The Garda Inspectorate has no function in relation to the determination of policing priorities or the policing plan.

Section 22 of the Act, as amended, provides that the Garda Commissioner must submit the draft policing plan for the following year to the Policing Authority for approval by November each year. It is my understanding that the Authority anticipates that the Commissioner will submit the draft annual Policing Plan for 2017, complete with performance targets, by the end of this week. It will then be forwarded to me for my consent. Once agreed, the Policing Plan will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

In relation to the Garda customer charter, I wish to inform the Deputy that neither the Policing Authority nor the Garda Inspectorate has a role in drafting or approving the charter.