Justice Minister Helen McEntee TD: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD looks ahead to the enactment of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023 and outlines how the legislation will seek transform the governance and oversight of An Garda Síochána while bolstering community policing.
In 2022, I had the privilege of being involved in An Garda Síochána’s centenary celebrations. At each of the events I attended the pride that members and staff have for the organisation’s achievements over the past 100 years was palpable.
While there have been many significant moments throughout this country’s history that have called on the organisation to demonstrate its ability to adapt to challenging situations, there is one element that has remained at the core of An Garda Síochána; that is its deep-rooted connection to community policing.
The relationships gardaí have developed with the communities they serve and protect have been vital in ensuring they can deliver on their ethos of policing with consent, even in the most challenging of circumstances. While the centenary offered us all a moment to reflect and mark the successes of An Garda Síochána, it also offered an opportunity to look to the future of the organisation as it evolves to respond effectively and appropriately to the needs of our changing society.
As a country we have experienced massive change and development over the last century. The policing needs of the country have changed in line with those developments. On the one hand, criminality has developed, with technology playing a massive role, and we must ensure that An Garda Síochána have the tools and technology to fight criminality and keep us safe in a modern word. On the other hand, the policing needs of communities have also developed as demographics shift.
Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023
To meet this change, the Policing, Security and Community Safety (PSCS) Bill will completely overhaul the governance and oversight of An Garda Síochána while still preserving that important component of community engagement and trust – which has always been at the forefront of the work that gardaí carry out.
There are several complementary reforms currently under way, including the Garda Commissioner’s ongoing rollout of the new Garda Operating Model with its focus on community policing. The new Operating Model further embeds the ethos of community policing which has always been the strength of An Garda Síochána. This was rightly at the centre of the centenary celebrations last year.
That is why I believe we should always keep sight of the main benefit of these reforms: ensuring there are more Gardaí on frontline duties in communities.
Under the PSCS Bill, the Policing and Community Safety Authority will merge the broad-ranging oversight functions of the existing Policing Authority and the inspection functions of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate, superseding both bodies and reducing the number of oversight bodies by one. It will oversee and assess in an independent and transparent manner the performance of An Garda Síochána in relation to policing services but with the benefit of an in-house empowered inspection function.
“I look forward to the forthcoming enactment of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, driven by the need to modernise our policing structures.”
The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSCO) will also undergo substantial restructuring. I believe that there is a need for more efficient and effective GSOC investigation processes. That is why a key objective of the new Bill is to improve the complaints handling and investigation systems of GSOC.
While the external oversight of an organisation with a remit such as An Garda Síochána is important, it is imperative that the Garda Commissioner has the power and scope to operate in a manner that enables swift, effective policing. The PSCS Bill will make explicit, for the first time, the Commissioner’s operational independence.
The Bill also strengthens internal governance of An Garda Síochána through the establishment of a non-executive Garda Board, to which the Commissioner will be accountable. The Bill will not diminish the relationship with the Minister for Justice, and the Commissioner will still report to the Minister. The Commissioner will continue to be required to keep the Minister of the day and the Secretary General of my department informed of significant matters, and to account to the Minister and Government for policing and security matters.
Another feature of the Bill is the establishment of an Independent Examiner of Security Legislation. This is a significant development in enhancing the national security infrastructure, providing an independent review of security legislation to ensure that it is effective and contains sufficient safeguards for the protection of human rights, the operation of such legislation and the examination of the delivery of security services.
At the heart of the Bill is a new approach as to how we as citizens can and should be involved in keeping our communities safe. Gardaí have always strived to develop and maintain positive relations with all the people they serve. But in recognition that community safety is not solely the responsibility of An Garda Síochána, or my department alone, the Bill provides for new structures for community safety including the rollout of local community safety partnerships across the country. These partnerships will provide a forum for State agencies and local community representatives to work together to act on community concerns and will shape the overall response to criminal activity and community safety in each locality. All community safety partnerships will produce their own unique, targeted community safety plan and will be supported in its successful implementation.
As Minister for Justice, I look forward to the forthcoming enactment of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, driven by the need to modernise our policing structures so that we as a society and country can benefit from another 100 years of successful, transparent, and proactive policing.
