Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary has welcomed the introduction of joint policing committees in Mayo which he said will help local communities manage anti-social behaviour and maximise alternatives to crime.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern TD, this week announced that the joint policing committees established under the Garda Siochana Act 2005 are now to be rolled out to all local authority areas.
There have been 29 pilot committees in operation around the country since 2006/2007 and they have been heralded as a very useful platform for different community representatives to come together to discuss how anti-social behaviour can be tackled.
Deputy Calleary said that Mayo County Council and other local authorities in Mayo now stand to see a joint policing committee established in their area, and that it will be a positive move, proving a platform for different community representatives to discuss the best way forward for their locality.
“I have heard a lot about the potential these committees can have in other areas around the country from my colleagues. The closest pilot committee to Mayo was in Sligo Borough Council and Tuam in Galway. The idea behind the joint policing committees is to provide a forum where the Gardaí and the local authority can get together regularly, along with public representatives and community groups, to discuss and make suggestions on policing matters in the area.
“Joint policing committees carry out invaluable work in the community and are an important vehicle for local groups and residents to play a pro-active role in shaping their communities and working together to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour and to also maximise the potential of the local community,” he said.
Under the new strengthened guidelines introduced this week, a code of practice has been added, along with other provisions for the efficient and effective operation of the committees; strengthened provisions for co-operation between committees; and expanded provisions for the membership of the committees.
“I have contacted the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern to seek a timeline on the introduction of committees in Mayo and I would urge the local authorities to work in conjunction with the Department in order to proceed without further delay,” concluded Dep Calleary.
