The Department of Justice in a statement to MidWest News today said that the government “is not limiting media access to Local Community Safety Partnerships”.
Yesterday when MidWest News sought to speak to Minster for Justice Jim O’Callaghan regarding the issue we were issued the following reply; “Unfortunately the Minister is not available for interview at the moment. He will be available in future for local media appearances in relation to LCSPS.”
Without seeking further comment, the Department sent another statement to MidWest News today, indicating that it is not limiting media access.
The new body – Local Community Safety Partnerships in Mayo, replaces the former county Joint Policing Committee (JPC), and is designed to highlight and tackle law and order issues in the county, and it has controversially agreed to meet behind closed doors without a media presence for all of its quarterly meetings this year, except one.
In a statement, the Department of Justice told MidWest News today that LCSPs “may hold as many meetings as required but must meet at least six times a year, including one public meeting, which all members of the community, including the media, can attend”.
This indicates that it is up to the discretion of each LCSP to decide how many public meetings are held, with a minimum of one.
Councillor Michael Loftus, Chair of Mayo’s LCSP has been speaking to MidWest Radio’s Scott Stephens, and he was asked where the decision to exclude media from certain meetings came from…
