I propose to take Questions Nos. 929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935 and 936 together.
I want to assure the Deputy that the government is not limiting media access to Local Community Safety Partnerships.
The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which I commenced in April 2025, provides for the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships (’Safety Partnership’) within each local authority area.
The National Office for Community Safety, an Office of my Department, has responsibility for providing training, guidance and support to Local Community Safety Partnerships. Last year this Office issued a comprehensive guidance document for the establishment and operation of Local Community Safety Partnerships to Chief Executives of local authorities and their staff to support the establishment of the Safety Partnership in their administrative area.
Transparency and accountability to the general public and media are an important factor of the Safety Partnerships’ work. The guidance suggests that media attendance at meetings may be facilitated, at their discretion, by way of a request to the Chair.
The work of Local Community Safety Partnerships is relational and based on a partnership approach. The guidance suggests that, in the first year of the partnership consideration should be given to holding meetings in private to allow for relationships and trust to develop among members as the Safety Partnership develops its workplan. As noted in the guidance, this approach should be reviewed as the Partnership's work evolves.
Local Community Safety Partnerships replace and build upon the good work previously undertaken by Joint Policing Committees (JPCs), however, they differ considerably in their approach and constitution. The LCSPs bring together a broad range of relevant stakeholders to address community safety issues in their area which will include residents, local councillors, community representatives, business and education representatives, and a range of public services including the HSE, Tusla, An Garda Síochána and the local authority.
It should be noted that, whilst Local Community Safety Partnerships are hosted by local authorities, they are not a committee of the council. In accordance with the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing, and in recognition that community safety is not solely the responsibility of An Garda Síochána, they bring together a broader range of relevant stakeholders to identify and respond to issues relating to community safety in a coordinated, proactive way.
Local Community Safety Partnerships therefore represent a significant step towards a more collaborative, responsive, and locally driven model of public safety and will play a major role in enhancing public safety alongside An Garda Síochána, residents, businesses and state agencies.
This guidance document aims to provide clarity and direction to Safety Partnerships but also allows flexibility to develop and implement arrangements that are responsive to local circumstances and community safety needs. It is a "living document", which can be updated to reflect new learnings, as well as changes in policy and operational context. It has been informed by the learnings from the independent evaluation of the pilot Local Community Safety Partnerships, which includes the Dublin North Inner City, Longford, and Waterford pilots.
In recognition of the need for transparency and the important role of the media, the guidance also advises that where a Local Community Safety Partnership holds meetings in private, a report of the meeting should be made publicly available as soon as is practicable and that such reports be shared directly with the media as part of a Safety Partnership's communications strategy.
Additionally, as outlined in the Regulations for the operation of Local Community Safety Partnerships, they may hold as many meetings as required but must meet at least six times a year, including one public meeting, which all members of the community, including the media, can attend.
