CSO - An Garda Síochána Liaison Group

Background
Membership
Terms of Reference
Frequency of Meetings

Background

The CSO – AGS liaison group is the formal, high-level mechanism for consultation and communication between both organisations that will facilitate co-operation and ensure that both organisations can fulfil their respective statutory obligations for the production of crime statistics as set out in the Garda Síochána Act, 2005 and in accordance with the procedures and requirements of the Statistics Act, 1993.

A memorandum of understanding between the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and An Garda Síochána (AGS) was signed in March 2017. This is designed to ensure that there is effective co-operation between the two bodies.

In November 2014 the Minister for Justice and Equality published the Garda Inspectorate's report, Crime Investigation. On publication of the Inspectorate's report, the Minister announced that the CSO would set up and chair an Expert Group to examine the Inspectorate's recommendations relating to the compilation of crime statistics. The Liaison Group will oversee the recommendations of the Expert Group where relevant.

The first meeting of the Liaison Group will take place in Quarter 2 2017.

Current Members

Mr. Richard McMahon, Assistant Director General Social Statistics & Demography, CSO (co-chair)
Mr Michael Finn, Assistant Commissioner, AGS (co-chair)
Mr. Paul M Crowley, Head of Social Analysis, CSO
Mr. Gurchand Singh, Head of Analysis Service, AGS
Mr. Sam Scriven, Crime & Justice Statistician, CSO (co-secretary)
Ms Olive Loughnane, Crime & Justice Statistician, CSO (co-secretary)
Mr. Anthony O’Donnell, Superintendent Policy Development, Implementation and Monitoring, AGS (co-secretary)

Terms of Reference

The terms of reference of the CSO-AGS Liaison Group are as follows:-

• The CSO-AGS Liaison Group shall be the formal, high-level mechanism for consultation and communication between both Offices.
• It shall be the responsibility of the Liaison Group to consider all data matters and related issues of mutual interest.
• The Liaison Group shall address matters of data protection, in accordance with the relevant data protection legislation, and regularly review the security of data transfer between both Organisations and the related storage mechanisms. 
• The Liaison Group shall appoint, as required, ad hoc working groups to investigate issues arising; such working groups shall report to the Liaison Group.
• The Liaison Group will, oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Expert Group where relevant, in particular the development of public facing documents.
• The Liaison Group shall meet on at least two occasions each year and shall be chaired alternately by AGS and the CSO at Assistant Commissioner/Assistant Director General level.

Frequency of Meetings

The Liaison Group meets on at least two occasions each year.