Vol. 240 Tuesday, No. 10 16 June 2015 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 16/06/2015A00100Business of Seanad 621 16/06/2015B00150Commencement Matters 622 16/06/2015B00200Community Policing 622 16/06/2015D00250Nursing Staff Recruitment 624 16/06/2015E00400Appointments to State Boards ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������626 16/06/2015G00250Private Rented Accommodation Provision 628 16/06/2015O00100Deaths of Irish Students in California: Expressions of Sympathy 632 16/06/2015O00350Order of Business 632 16/06/2015EE00400Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages ������������������������������������������649 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Máirt, 16 Meitheamh 2015 Tuesday, 16 June 2015 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 230 pm Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 16/06/2015A00100Business of Seanad 16/06/2015A00200An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator Catherine Noone that, on the mo- tion for the Commencement of the House today, she proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Justice and Equality to outline if she has investigated the possibility of retaining retiring gardaí on a part-time basis as community gardaí as a cost- effective way of policing communities I have also received notice from Senator John Kelly of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to address the looming crisis in retaining nurses within the nursing home sector I have also received notice from Senator Fiach Mac Conghail of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to address the lack of a board of management at the National College of Art and Design and to outline when the Department commenced the process of recruiting a new board, whether the board vacancies were adver- tised via publicjobs.ie and when the board will be appointed I have also received notice from Senator Paul Bradford of the following matter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline his proposals to provide a long-term, affordable and stable house rental market I have also received notice from Senator Martin Conway of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to indicate his intentions concerning the application for a licence for a fish farm in County Galway I have also received notice from Senator Colm Burke of the following matter: 621 Seanad Éireann The need for the Minister for Health to clarify the position on the setting up of a drugs review committee for orphan drugs, as such a proposal was outlined in the rare diseases plan I have also received notice from Senator Mary Moran of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to address the recent Health Information and Qual- ity Authority, HIQA, report findings on residential centres for people with an intellectual disability in counties Louth and Sligo and the response of his Department to these findings I have also received notice from Senator James Heffernan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to explain why the provision of a motorway to connect Cork and Limerick has been put on hold and whether there are other plans to progress the project I regard the matters raised by Senators Catherine Noone, John Kelly, Fiach Mac Conghail, Paul Bradford, Martin Conway, Colm Burke and Mary Moran as suitable for discussion I have selected the matters raised by Senators Catherine Noone, John Kelly, Fiach Mac Conghail and Paul Bradford and they will be taken now Senators Martin Conway, Colm Burke and Mary Moran may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise I regret that I have had to rule out of order the matter raised by Senator James Heffernan on the grounds that it is a repeat of a similar Commencement matter raised on 14 May 16/06/2015B00150Commencement Matters 16/06/2015B00200Community Policing 16/06/2015B00300An Cathaoirleach: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Paudie Coffey 16/06/2015B00400Senator Catherine Noone: I thank the Minister of State for attending In recent times, one of the most consistent problems that we have been told of is the lack of Garda manpower To its credit, the Government has reopened the college in Templemore and garda training is ongoing, but we are running to stand still, that is, to keep the number of gardaí at 13,000 It would make sense for retiring gardaí to be kept on on a part-time basis as community gardaí as a cost-effective way of policing communities Often, retiring gardaí are young compared with the average age of retirement and could augment community policing structures, giving us the benefit of their expertise while improving the perception of community policing on our streets and making people feel safer There is no question of a perception of there being fewer gardaí on the streets It is certainly something that I hear about in Dublin I have noticed it This would be a great way to balance that perception through tangible examples of gardaí on the beat in their communities Even if just 500 retiring gardaí - one or two per station - were employed on a part-time basis, it would cost between €7 million and €15 million per annum The money would be well spent and have a useful effect I would be interested to know the Minister of State’s thoughts on this suggestion in the light of the number of low-cost measures that have been implemented, for example, the 622 16 June 2015 successful text alert scheme If this proposal were implemented, it could have a positive impact on urban and rural communities 16/06/2015B00500Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Gov- ernment (Deputy Paudie Coffey): I thank the Senator for tabling this Commencement mat- ter The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, also wishes to thank her and regrets being unable to attend for the debate However, I am happy to take it on her behalf Community policing is an important part of policing It is a central feature of current polic- ing policy and members of community policing are encouraged to engage with the local com- munities to which they are assigned Policing policy is predicated on the prevention of public order offences and crime, including violence against persons and property, and the maintenance of an environment that is conducive to the improvement of residents’ quality of life This strategy will continue to be central to the delivery of a quality policing service Community policing deserves dedicated and motivated gardaí who are willing to give 100% to protect the communities they serve On that basis, all members assigned to community policing units oper- ate on a full-time basis and there are, therefore, no plans to retain retiring gardaí on a part-time basis as community gardaí It is, of course, the case that all gardaí have a role to play in addressing community polic- ing issues as and when the need arises In that sense, community policing involves far more than a single unit within An Garda Síochána, a point highlighted by the Garda Inspectorate in its third report, Policing in Ireland: Looking Forward The inspectorate states in the report that community policing is a fundamental policing philosophy and that there is a strong foundation for it in Ireland An Garda Síochána now operates a new model of community policing which aims to build on and enhance progress so far The Minister has said she fully supports this renewed emphasis on community policing, particularly in light of the priority given to it in the programme for Government The model is about renewing, reinvigorating and restructuring the community policing function within An Garda Síochána to deliver a consistent national structure to the community policing function, a more co-ordinated and efficient Garda service to the community and a spread of good practice and quality of service in community policing on a national basis The model is providing a structured and cohesive approach to community po- licing nationally The national strategies for neighbourhood watch and community alert, both of which were launched in 2007, also inform the organisation on how best to implement future crime prevention and community policing programmes The model is built around ten core components, or pillars, which serve to inform everything gardaí do in their interactions with the community The ten pillars are: partnership, enforcement, problem solving, crime prevention and reduction, accountability, visibility, accessibility, collaborative engagement, empowerment and improved response Community gardaí will be proactive in building positive partnerships through initiatives such as Neighbourhood Watch, Community Alert, Garda clinics, Supporting Safer Communi- ties campaigns and Garda station open days Flexible engagement practices are required to cater for community groups and can ultimately lead to a community being empowered The establishment of partnerships at