Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2013
491. Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the costs and resources given to the joint policing committees in 2012; if he will outline the number of times these committees met in 2012; the amount of times that members of the Gardaí spent attending these meetings in 2012; the total cost of these committees in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18586/13]
View answerThe functions and powers of Joint Policing Committees (JPCs) are set out in the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which provides for a Committee in each city, county and town council area. The essential role of JPCs is to provide appropriate advice to the Gardaí and local authorities and to support collaborative engagement among stakeholders in relation to local policing issues.
In relation to the costs associated with JPCs, it is important to note that the Committees are intended as a forum to improve collaboration and engagement between relevant agencies and stakeholders and are not intended to undertake new administrative functions with corresponding budgets and other resources. There are already substantial resources deployed to addressing local policing and community safety issues and the JPCs are intended to enhance how these resources are deployed, not supplement them. Therefore each agency involved in the Committees is generally expected to meet the expenses arising for itself in establishing and operating the JPCs from within its existing resources.
The current operating guidelines for JPCs were issued in 2008 and these envisage that quarterly meetings of JPCs would be the norm.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda Commissioner has appointed appropriate officers to each of the Joint Policing Committees in accordance with the guidelines. An Garda Síochána are essential participants in the JPC process and attend meetings at the times and dates specified by the respective local authority. I am further informed that it is not possible to provide details of the attendance of members of An Garda Síochána at the meetings of the 114 JPCs as a disproportionate amount of Garda time and resources would be required to compile this information. In this regard it should be noted that further information concerning each JPC is available from the relevant local authority.
The Programme for Government makes a commitment to build on existing community policing partnerships and forums to enhance trust between local communities and their Gardaí. In the spirit of that commitment I initiated a review of the operation of JPCs and, on 29 November 2012, I published a discussion document to open the matter for wider consultation. My Department, together with the Garda authorities and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is examining the feedback received during the consultation process, to see if any amendments should be made to the existing guidelines which would enhance the operation of JPCs. The Deputy will also appreciate that the review process will need to take into account the broader developments with respect to local government reform which are underway and the implications of this reform for the operation of JPCs.
