21. F28[(1) Subject to subsection (6) —

(a) not later than 6 months after the establishment day of the Authority, and

(b) not later than 3 months before the expiry of the period to which the previous strategy statement relates,

the Garda Commissioner shall submit to the Authority for its approval (with the consent of the Minister) a strategy statement for the Garda Síochána and for policing services for the following 3 years.]

(2) The strategy statement F29[…] must include the following:

(a) a mission statement;

(b) medium term objectives, the strategies to achieve those objectives and the expected outputs and outcomes;

(c) an identification of issues of concern to Departments of State and agencies in the State and a plan for managing those issues.

(3) In preparing the strategy statement, the Garda Commissioner shall have regard to the following matters:

(a) relevant Government policy;

F30[(b) the priorities determined by the Authority under section 20 relating to policing services and any priorities that may be determined by the Minister under section 20A relating to security services;]

(c) the resources expected to be available to the Garda Síochána for the period to which the statement F30[relates;]

(d) the need to ensure the most beneficial, effective and F30[efficient use of those resources;]

F31[(e) the policing principles]

(4) F32[The Authority shall, with the consent of the Minister, approve] the strategy statement—

(a) in the form of the draft submitted, or

F32[(b) with such amendments as the Authority with the consent of the Minister, after consulting with the Garda Commissioner, may determine.]

F32[(5) As soon as practicable after the approval of the strategy statement under subsection (4), the Authority shall send a copy of the approved strategy statement to the Minister and the Minister shall cause a copy of it to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as practicable after he or she receives it.]

(6) F32[The Authority] may direct that the strategy statement be submitted at shorter intervals than every 3 years and cover a shorter period than 3 years.