15. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide an update on the progress being made to operationalise community safety partnerships; to outline the timeline, the model and operation of the partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35632/25]

Sentiment score: 0.28

The Minister has kept to his word and we have the guidelines. I understand it to be seven councillors. What interaction is meant to happen between these partnerships and TDs? I welcome some of the other bodies to be represented on it. I would like to know how they are to be selected. I will ask questions about the ad hocery we had with JPCs in Louth that suited the constituency.

Sentiment score: 0.14

We all welcome that they are up and running. For too long, we have not had the forum of JPCs, which were useful for engagement with the Garda. We are talking about everything from organised crime right down to chaos and disorganised crime. Tusla, the HSE and those other groups will have a huge role. I would like to know how those other people are to be selected. Not only should we get this up and running very fast, but also there should be some sort of review capacity. Previously, TDs were able to sit on the joint policing committees, which made a difference. I think it was worthwhile at certain points in time. Is the Minister open to reviewing this? Tusla and particularly the HSE are an absolute requirement. I would like to know how the other organisations are going to be in play. We all welcome that we will have something that will be both strategic and thematic, which is necessary.

Sentiment score: 0.21

My understanding is that nothing is holding this up. It is just a matter of getting it into play as quickly as possible. I understand the process for representation by Tusla, the Garda, the HSE and the local authorities; that is fairly easy. I am talking about the other bodies and organisations, such as community residents' associations. How exactly will that work? There is a huge body of work that needs to be done. I welcome that the Minister is talking about the possibility of a review. Many of us believe it was useful when there were joint policing committees. In Louth, joint policing committees were able to operate on the basis of Dundalk and north Louth, Drogheda and south Louth, and Ardee and mid-Louth. We need to tackle those issues from organised crime right down into chaos and so on. I welcome what was said earlier about the Criminal Assets Bureau. We all know the world we live in. We need to look at the very particular issue we have at this point in time with organised crime and drugs. When certain people have had houses taken off them, they just regard it as the cost of doing business and they are back in operation again. We need a harm-reduction methodology but we also need to give police the ability to police.

Sentiment score: 0.10