The Department of Justice says regulations are being made to provide for the establishment of a Kerry Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSPs).
The LCSPs were earmarked to replace Joint Policing Committees which were dissolved last year.
JPC meetings discussed policing and crime issues between Gardaí, local authorities, elected representatives and the community and voluntary sectors.
However, there has been no such face-to-face meetings since the abolition of the JPC’s in 2024.
The final JPC meeting in Kerry took place on May 10th 2024; the collaborative group met quarterly to discuss crime statistics and policing and community issues within the county.
In December 2023, elected Kerry representatives wrote to the government to re-evalute plans to dissolve JPCs, following a motion from Senator Mark Daly at the meeting.
He called for the committee not to be abolished and instead for a new remit to be applied.
Talks on the legislation were adjourned in the Seanad at the time following heated exchanges.
The new Local Community Safety Partnerships are to be made up of residents, Gardaí, the HSE, councillors, Tusla and community groups.
Kerry County Council sought applications for the role of Chair for LCSPs in July last year, with this role yet to be filled.
In April this year, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan commenced the Policing, Security and Community Act 2024 – which provides for the establishment of LCSPs which will operate at each local authority level.
A statement from the department to Radio Kerry said regulations are being made under section 114 of the act to provide for the establishment of the LCSPs as soon as possible.
It said this will enable the rollout of the partnership in Kerry and the regulations will also provide for the process of selecting a Chair for the Partnership.
