'Cork getting screwed again': Anger over composition of new community partnerships

The local authority had written to the Department of Justice officially seeking permission to have three forums set up in the county because of its huge size. Picture: Jim Coughlan

A community safety partnership for Co Cork has been branded “an absolute disgrace” because, under Department of Justice rules, only seven of the county's eight municipal districts will be represented on it.

Senior council officials had written to the department asking that it develop three such forums in the county because of its size — one for each of its divisional areas of north, south, and west.

However, the department refused the request, saying such a move would need the legislation governing the establishment of such partnerships to be changed. Instead, it insisted that just seven councillors be allowed onto the forum. The same number will sit on forums for far smaller counties such as Leitrim and Longford.

The new forums, or partnerships, will replace the former joint policing committees that were disbanded a few years ago.

“This is yet another example of Cork getting screwed over. It is grossly unfair for a county of this size,” Fine Gael councillor Anthony Barry said.

“It’s an absolute disgrace,”  said Labour councillor Cathal Rasmussen, who was the last chairman of the county’s joint policing forum.

“We should write to them [the department] and make a case," said Fine Gael councillor Sinéad Sheppard.

It beggars belief that one municipal district won’t get a voice on it at a time when law and order is at a really low point in this country

"How could somebody in one district speak on another’s behalf,”  Ms Sheppard asked .

Senior council official Sharon Corcoran agreed with councillors that they should write to the Department of Justice in an effort to change its mind.

She said that, during the summer, the local authority had written to the department officially seeking permission to have three forums set up in the county because of its huge size.

Mr Rasmussen said three forums would have been good, but there should at least be a minimum of two considering it is the geographically the largest county in Ireland.

Call to lobby department

As chairman of the Cobh municipal district council, he said he would seek the support of the full council at its next meeting in County Hall to lobby the department to change its mind. He made the decision following a suggestion from Independent councillor Ger Curley.

Mr Curley described the department’s attitude as “an absolute disgrace.” If it refuses to do so, it is expected that the names of seven nominated municipal district councillors will be pulled out of a hat to be representatives on the forum.

If the West Cork municipal is unsuccessful, it will be the largest single area in the county excluded from the forum. The Carrigaline municipal and Cobh municipal districts also represent the largest population areas in the county along with the East Cork municipal.

Councillors believe the forum in its current form will not work, as different municipal districts experience different crime problems.

Urban areas have more issues with anti-social behaviour and drugs, while other areas have concerns about rural crime. It is expected that the first meeting of the new forum will take place before the end of this year.

Ms Corcoran said that the new forum will have community representatives on it plus senior gardaí, officials from Tusla and the HSE, chamber of commerce representatives, Ibec, the IFA, and Travellers’ organisations.