LOUTH COUNTY COUNCIL

Ardee Joint Policing Committee

Minutes of Meeting held in Ardee Castle, Ardee on Wednesday 20th February 2013 at 6.00pm.

Attendance:

Elected Members: Cllrs. Padraig McKenny (Chairman), Jim Tenanty (Vice Chairman), Michael Farrelly, Mary Kavanagh, Jim Lennon, Fintan Malone, Colm Markey, Pearse McGeough, Finnan McCoy, Dolores Minogue, Liam Reilly

Louth Local Authorities: Joe McGuinness, Director of Services

Paddy Donnelly, Senior Executive Officer / Meetings Administrator

An Garda Siochana: Superintendent Ray Brennan

Inspector Paul Kiernan

Superintendent Gerry Smith

Voluntary/Community

Sector: Johnny Brennan

John O’Connor

Apologies: Seamus Kirk, TD

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The Chairman welcomed the members to the first meeting of the JPC for 2013.

The Chairman marked that it was with sadness that he commenced the first meeting with a vote of condolences and sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe who had been callously shot while executing his duties serving the community of County Louth. The Chairman went on to describe how appalled both he, fellow members and the community had been at this terrible tragedy which left a Garda force without a valuable member and a family without a father and husband. The members in turn expect their support of the vote of sympathy and expressed their condemnation of this heinous crime.

Mr. Joe McGuinness, Director of Services on behalf of the staff and County Manager also paid tribute to Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and expressed sympathy on behalf of all the local authorities and staff and in particular those in mid Louth.

Superintendent Ray Brennan on behalf of the Gardai and on behalf of the Chief Superintendent, thanked the Chairman and the members for their good wishes and wished to record and recognise the support of all the people of Louth towards the force at this difficult time. The Superintendent commented that at this particular incident, Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was protecting not the monies a large institution but that of the community in that it was the people’s money in the local Credit Union. He again thanked the members for their kind remarks and advised that he would pass them on to the Chief Superintendent and the family of the late Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.

There then followed a minutes silence at the request of the Chairman.

1.  Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 19th November 2012 were confirmed on the proposal of Cllr. F. Malone and seconded by Cllr. J. Lennon.

2.  Matters Arising

Cllr. P. McGeough raised the matter of restorative justice and asked for an update in regard to same and sought clarification as to when details of the Restorative Justice Programme supported by Louth County Council would be brought to the JPC.

Mr. P. Donnelly, SEO advised the members that Ms Una Doyle from the Department of Justice and Equality had presented at the Dundalk JPC meeting in regard to the Restorative Justice Programme supported by her department. As there would be a change in staff at the Department, it was hoped that Ms Doyle’s replacement would be available in May to present in relation to the Programme as supported by the Department for possibly a joint meeting between the Ardee and Drogheda JPC’s.

In the matter of the Restorative Justice Programme supporters under the Peace Programme, full details of this were not available as the programme had just commenced and when it was suitable, a presentation in relation to same would be made available to the members.

3. Local Authority Update

Mr J McGuinness, Director of Services circulated a quarterly update which he outlined dealt with four areas of service delivery, Housing, Roads, Environment and Fire Services.

Under Housing, the Director outlined that there had been 97 complaints for the year at which sanction was issued in 29 cases.

With regard to Roads, the Director highlighted the work that has been undertaken in relation to road safety and gritting of published routes that are available on the website.

Under the Environment Programme, the number of fines issued across a range of statutory instruments was recorded.

In regard to the Fire Services the number of incidents attended by Fire Service crews at the Mid Louth Stations of Dunleer and Ardee were detailed.

Mr. McGuinness addressed the member’s queries and agreed to provide a comparison in particular in relation to the Fire Service figures for quarter on quarter in future reports.

The Chairman thanked Mr. McGuinness for his report.

4.  Garda Update

Superintendent Ray Brennan reported to the members in relation to the work of the Garda teams in the Mid Louth area.

In general crime statistics had reduced by 31% with a particular indication of this as 22 burglaries in the period compared to 33 in the same period for 2012. He attributed a lot of this success to a series of Garda Checkpoints that had been introduced. These checkpoints had been very successful and in 1 case it led to the seizure of €200,000 worth of cannabis and a further discovery of a grow house with material valued up to €20,000.

The Superintendent highlighted a number of break-ins in schools and churches that had occurred in the period but what was particular about these was that they had occurred during the day and he was keen to seek the support and information from the members of the public in relation to these.

In regard to the Text Alerting system, the system was working well and has now been streamlined quite well and has been rolled out in other areas across the county.

The Chairman invited Inspector Paul Kiernan of the Traffic Corp to update the members in relation to recent initiatives. Inspector Kiernan outlined to the members Operation Light-up which is currently underway and which is targeting vehicles that presented with inappropriate lighting on vehicles. There was advance warning of this operation in order to give motorists an opportunity to correct any defects they had in their lighting.

The Inspector in responding to members queries confirmed that the Gardai would be reasonable and use their discretion in relation to offenders that were stopped at the series that would be held. He confirmed that there would be a €60 on the spot fine applied for offenders and also confirmed that it did not at this stage carry penalty points.

Nationally Inspector Kiernan outlined that road fatalities were up by 13 for the same period on last year however figures in Louth had remained as they had for 2012 and he looked forward to that continuing.

Superintendent G. Smith reported in relation to Garda activities in the Dunleer and east Louth area. The Superintendent commented that there had been slight increase in burglaries but Gardai had now put in place alternative deployment of units with support from Drogheda and the Regional Support Unit in an effort to combat this unfortunate increase.

The Chairman thanked the members of An Garda Siochana for their report.

5.  Discussion document on the role of Joint Policing Committees

The Chairman commented on the document that had been circulated to all the members and sought their output in relation to same. Mr. P. Donnelly advised the members that he would be happy to accept the comments and views on same up to 28th February where a composite report would then be submitted the Department of Justice and Equality in regard to the discussion document.

It was highlighted to the members the importance of ensuring that contributing to this document has the future role and direction of JPC’s will and should be influenced by their decisions as members of JPC’s.

6.  Draft Annual Report

Mr. P. Donnelly circulated the draft Annual Report for 2012. He outlined to members that the report was a composite report on behalf of all the JPC’s in the County. The matter would go before council at their March meeting and again members were invited to comment on the report and submit any changes they might have prior to 28th February.

7. Any Other Business

St. Patricks Day Parades

There was a short discussion in relation to St. Patricks Day Parades and the Chairman advised the members that planning was well advanced in relation to the Ardee Parade which will take place on Sunday 17th March at 3.00pm.

Members were also advised that there will also be a parade in Dunleer on the same day at 12.30pm. Gardai are working closely with the organising committees and reference to the use of the publication by the JPC’s in regard to organising events was made.

There was a discussion in regard to the Community Alert and Neighbourhood Watch Schemes and the possibility of their attendance at a future JPC meeting. Following a brief discussion in relation to this, it was felt that the more appropriate time for such groups to attend might be the public meeting towards the end of the year.

Members raised the matter of the removal of abandoned cars and where the responsibility lay. Mr. Joe McGuinness confirmed that under Section 71 of the Litter Act, the responsibility for the car is the owner and there is no budget or responsibility on the local authority to remove such vehicles. Where such a vehicle is a danger to traffic, the matter would be discussed with the Gardai but in the first instance, the owner of same would be pursued.

There being no other business, the meeting concluded.

Confirmed at Meeting held on: ______

Chairman: ______

Meetings Administrator: ______