Three new Local Community Safety Partnerships are to be set up on a pilot basis in an effort to strengthen community policing across the country.

The pilots, which will run for two years, will be in the Dublin North Inner-City Local Electoral Area, Waterford City and County Council, and Longford.

The Department of Justice said the locations were chosen based on factors including population density, crime rates and deprivation.

New bill planned

The move is part of the development of a wider community safety policy, in line with recommendations made by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.

There are also plans for a new Policing and Community Safety Bill which will redefine the functions of An Garda Síochána to include community safety.

The proposed legislation will, however, also place obligations on other Government departments, state agencies and local authorities.

Dedicated funding

The new pilot partnerships will have an independent chairperson and will develop local safety plans, which will outline how the community wants to prevent crime.

The bodies will include residents, community representatives, business interests, councillors, local authorities and state services.

The eventual aim is to have a Community Safety Partnership, with dedicated funding and staff, in every local authority.

The new bodies will replace the existing Joint Policing Committee structures.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee (pictured) said the pilot partnerships would be carefully evaluated and any necessary changes would be made to ensure that they worked as effectively as possible.