Press release
Minister McEntee invites expressions of interest for Chairpersons of new Local Community Safety Partnerships
Published on
Last updated on
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD has welcomed the launch of the process for the selection of Chairpersons for new Local Community Safety Partnerships across the country.
The LCSPs, which have been piloted in Waterford, Longford and Dublin’s North Inner City, will bring together a range of service providers and the community to examine and deliver on actions that will improve community safety in their localities.
The establishment of LCSPs nationwide is a key element of the Government’s community safety policy, which recognises that different localities have different challenges and needs and therefore require bespoke approaches and interventions to help people be and feel more secure in their communities.
LCSPs will be rolled out in each local authority area later this year and will replace the current Joint Policing Committees (JPCs). They will be the primary structures through which the Government’s new approach to Community Safety will be delivered at a local level.
Speaking today, Minister McEntee said:
“Collaboration will be a crucial part of ensuring the Local Community Safety Partnerships deliver for their communities. The Chairperson in each LCSP will set expectations regarding culture, values, and behaviours at LCSP level, with the ultimate aim of creating and implementing a tailored community safety plan that addresses the specific safety concerns of the community.
“At the heart of the Government’s community safety policy is the principle that every community has the right to be and feel safe to thrive and flourish, and needs different responses and supports to do so.
“To achieve that, we need people who understand their community and who are willing to use their knowledge and experience to lead the partnerships. I want to encourage anyone who believes they would have a positive contribution to make to consider putting their name forward.”
The Partnerships will have a wider membership than the JPCs and will include residents, local councillors, community representatives, business and education representatives along with a range of public services including the HSE, Tusla, An Garda Síochána and the local authority.
The role of the Chairperson will be to lead the work of the Local Community Safety Partnership and find consensus among the members so that a tailored local community safety plan can be developed. They will also be responsible for driving forward the implementation of the community safety plan so that it delivers tangible benefits in the community.
The Expression of Interest process will be undertaken by each Local Authority to identify a suitable Chairperson. The Chairperson will be responsible for the leadership of the LCSP and ensuring its effectiveness on all aspects of its role.
Further information on the EOI can be accessed here .
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Notes for Editor
The Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSPs) are provided for in Part 3 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which was signed into law by the President last February.
The LCSPs will bring all the relevant state services and the community together at local authority level. This will build on the work undertaken through Joint Policing Committees and supplement it by ensuring that all other relevant stakeholders necessary to constitute a more holistic forum for discussion, decisions and action on community priorities are present.
Pilot partnerships have been running in Longford, Waterford and Dublin's North Inner City, and each has developed and published a local community safety plan, which are available on the local authority websites.
The learnings from the independent evaluation of the LCSP pilots concluded that the role of the Chairperson, particularly in terms of leadership competence and experience, is central to the Partnership. It is a significant high-level volunteering role, within their own community/county, which will require dedication and time.
The Expression of Interest process will be undertaken by each Local Authority to identify a suitable candidate or candidates to go forward to be selected as Chairperson by the Minister for Justice. This process will ensure that each partnership is led by experienced individuals who will be confident in facilitating the LCSP and bringing in the involvement of all stakeholders at all levels so as to deliver real change in local communities.
The term of appointment for the Chairperson is three years.