Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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645. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will outline the current passage of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38829/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill which has recently completed pre-legislative scrutiny, will, when enacted, deliver on the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. 

The Bill will provide a new framework for policing, security and community safety aimed at improving the performance and accountability of our policing and security services for the benefit of the safety of communities. It will make the  prevention of harm to individuals, particularly those who are vulnerable or at risk, an explicit objective of An Garda Síochána for the first time and will make community safety a whole of government responsibility.

It will provide a new coherent governance and oversight framework for policing  by strengthening and consolidating independent external oversight of An Garda Síochána and enhancing the internal governance of An Garda Síochána and the role of the Garda Commissioner as CEO, empowering him or her to lead the organisation and drive reform with the support of a non-executive board. The Bill will also improve the independent oversight of our national security infrastructure through the establishment of an Independent Examiner.

My officials are examining the pre-legislative scrutiny report and recommendations at present to identify what further refinements might be required in the course of drafting to ensure that the Bill delivers on its objectives supporting effective accountability and ultimately better policing and safer communities.

Extensive consultations were undertaken with key stakeholders during the development of the General Scheme of the Bill and such consultations are continuing. Work is well advanced and I hope to be in a position to publish the Bill in the Autumn and bring it before this House.  

In tandem with work on the Bill, my Department has developed an ambitious programme plan for the implementation of the totality of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill. This programme of work includes an assessment of resourcing needs for the new model.