Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024
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Strategic plan | ||
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63. (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Garda Commissioner shall, at the request of the Board and in accordance with this section, within 6 months after the coming into operation of section 11 and not later than the expiration of each subsequent 3 year period following that coming into operation, prepare and submit to the Minister a strategic plan for An Garda Síochána in respect of the period of 3 years immediately following the year in which the plan is so submitted. | ||
(2) A strategic plan shall not be submitted to the Minister unless it has been adopted by the Board. | ||
(3) A strategic plan shall— | ||
(a) be prepared in such form and manner as may be in accordance with any directions issued by the Minister, | ||
(b) specify in relation to the period to which the plan relates— | ||
(i) the main objectives (including the reasons for each objective) of An Garda Síochána, | ||
(ii) the strategies that will be pursued in order to achieve the main objectives, | ||
(iii) where reasonably practicable, the outcomes by which the achievement of the main objectives may be measured, | ||
(iv) the uses for which the Garda Commissioner proposes to apply the resources of An Garda Síochána, and | ||
(v) any other information connected with the functions of An Garda Síochána which the Board or the Garda Commissioner considers appropriate, | ||
and | ||
(c) except in the case of the first such plan, include a review and evaluation of the performance by An Garda Síochána of its functions under this Act in the previous 3 years. | ||
(4) The Garda Commissioner shall, before preparing a strategic plan, consult with such persons as he or she considers appropriate. | ||
(5) In preparing a strategic plan, the Garda Commissioner shall have regard to— | ||
(a) the views of such persons as may be consulted under subsection (4), | ||
(b) such views of the Authority as may be provided under section 122 (2)(p), | ||
(c) the policies of the Government or any Minister of the Government to the extent that those policies may affect, or relate to, the functions of An Garda Síochána, | ||
(d) the policing principles, | ||
(e) the policing priorities, | ||
(f) the security priorities, | ||
(g) the national strategy, and | ||
(h) the resources reasonably and prudently expected to be available to An Garda Síochána for the period to which the plan relates and the need to ensure the most effective and efficient use of those resources. | ||
(6) The Minister shall, within 3 months of a strategic plan being submitted to him or her under subsection (1)— | ||
(a) approve the plan without amendment, or | ||
(b) having consulted with the Board, issue to the Board such directions regarding amendments to the plan as the Minister considers necessary. | ||
(7) The Minister, within 3 months of a strategic plan being submitted to him or her under subsection (1)— | ||
(a) where the plan is amended in accordance with any directions that the Minister may give under subsection (6)(b), shall approve it, or | ||
(b) where the plan is not amended in accordance with any directions that may be given by the Minister under subsection (6)(b), may refuse to approve it. | ||
(8) A strategic plan may be amended— | ||
(a) by the Minister at any time having consulted with the Board, or | ||
(b) by the Board where— | ||
(i) the Board submits an amendment to the Minister for his or her approval, and | ||
(ii) the amendment is approved by the Minister. | ||
(9) Subsections (3) to (5) shall apply with the necessary modifications in respect of an amendment by the Board under subsection (8)(b) of a strategic plan. | ||
(10) Nothing in a strategic plan shall be taken to prevent or limit the performance by the Garda Commissioner or the Board of their respective functions under this Act. |