Dan Neville
Question:256 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans, if any, he has to extend rural policing in County Limerick. [5240/98]
Written Answers. - Rural Policing.
I have not received any proposals to extend the rural community policing scheme in County Limerick or elsewhere.
As indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 333 tabled by the Deputy on 25 November last, the Garda Commissioner, as part of his evaluation and review of the scheme, recently decided to introduce trial modifications, under a pilot test arrangement, in two of the 14 Garda districts in which the scheme currently operates. The Garda districts selected by the Commissioner for this purpose are Nenagh and Newcastlewest. I understand from the Garda authorities that these pilot arrangements, the nature of which I outlined in my earlier reply to the Deputy, commenced in the two districts on 23 February.
The trial changes, aimed at enhancing the operational effectiveness of the scheme, are intended to facilitate further study of the community policing initiative in the context of the review of the entire scheme.