Mayo TD given assurance on gardaí community engagement

A Mayo TD has been given assurance in regard to gardaí community engagement in the county.

Deputy Dara Calleary raised concerns with Minister of State at the Department of Justice James Browne.

The Ballina-based representative stated: "Community engagement is key and it must be more than just phrases on a ministerial brief.

"I acknowledge Joe Doherty, based in Ballina, who has just retired as a superintendent in the Mayo division.

"Community engagement was essential to his form of policing. I thank him for his service.

"I am a fan of the existing joint policing committees.

"They work and involve rural communities, through their local elected representatives, be they councillors or members of the Oireachtas, having a say about policing issues in their areas.

"It is about the connection. I need assurance that that connection will not be lost in the new community safety partnerships.

"The joint policing committees, especially in large counties such as Mayo, have worked well. They worked well too when they were under the town council structure, keeping an eye on the towns.

"I am concerned that the move to these new community safety partnerships will take away another part of the supports for rural communities in respect of their day-to-day policing."

In reply, Minister of State Browne: "Regarding the new community safety partnerships, I think they will prove to be the complete opposite and will greatly strengthen the role in this regard in rural communities.

"They will do so by strengthening the pace of engagement with An Garda Síochána, the various representative organisations and the local authorities to ensure that there is not just accountability and transparency, but also an effectiveness in respect of getting results on the ground and the changes required.

"I assure Deputy Calleary that the steps being taken in respect of the record funding for An Garda Síochána, the increase in the number of gardaí that will now be trained and the increase in the number of garda civilian staff, which will release gardaí from administrative duties and get them back to front-line work, will help to strengthen the role of An Garda Síochána and make people safer in urban and rural areas."