Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 23 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 5

Written Answers. - Neighbourhood Watch Scheme.

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

106 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the basis on which Neighbourhood Watch was started; the control and management structure involved; the partnership element between community and gardaí; and the relationship of the scheme to international neighbourhood watch organisations. [27112/00]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

Neighbourhood Watch has been in operation in Ireland since 1985. There are currently over 2,600 independent schemes countrywide and they provide a sound basis for a partnership between the gardaí and the community, the aim of which is to prevent crime and Neighbourhood Watch receives considerable support from An Garda Síochána. The Garda community relations section conducts training seminars for both gardaí and area co-ordinators as part of their input to Neighbourhood Watch.

I am conscious that there is now a need for some form of overarching structure to co-ordinate the entire Neighbourhood Watch operation, and my Department has been considering how best to develop this. This has necessitated careful consideration of the recommendations contained within the evaluation of Neighbourhood Watch and Community Alert which was commissioned by my Department. The evaluation raised many issues and I look forward to the development of the new structures which will bring about a more cohesive scheme with greater participation from the community at large and support for individual schemes. The new structure should also enable the development of links with international neighbourhood watch organisations.

I can inform the Deputy that I have already obtained Government approval to provide additional posts within An Garda Síochána at inspector level and I am pleased to note that the Commissioner will assign one of these posts to work with the new structure. As well as this, officials of my Department have been in contact with the Department of Finance in relation to the provision of the necessary funding to enable the new structure to be put in place.

I hope to be in a position to proceed with the establishment of a new structure to support and develop Neighbourhood Watch in early 2001.