What we do

The establishment of the Policing and Community Safety Authority (PCSA) ushers in a new era in policing accountability and community safety in Ireland. The role of the PCSA is to oversee and assess the policing services provided by An Garda Síochána with the aim of ensuring that people in Ireland are not only safe, but feel safe day-to-day within their local communities.

The PCSA does this independently and transparently. By doing so, the PCSA supports the effective provision and continuous improvement of policing services in Ireland.

The objective, functions and powers of the PCSA are described in Section 122 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 and include:

• Determining Policing Priorities for An Garda Síochána, which identify areas that require extra focus or attention to improve the policing service delivered to the public;
• Assessing policing performance against these Priorities, An Garda Síochána’s Strategy Statement and Annual Service Plan and the National Strategy for Community Safety;
• Undertaking inspections and make recommendations to improve policing services;
• Engaging extensively with communities and stakeholders to understand and listen to experiences of policing and being policed;
• Promoting professional policing standards (including human rights standards) and the continuous improvement of policing in line with international best practice;
• Promoting public awareness of policing matters through publishing reports, holding events, and undertaking and commissioning research on matters relating to policing;
• Informing and advising the Minister on developments in policing and on best policing practice; and,
• Engaging with the Director of National Office for Community Safety and the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on the national strategy for improving community safety.