Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

The information communicated to the House by a Minister or Minister of State is that which is available to him or her at a specific time. I have answered questions in the House since Christmas and indicated to the Deputy my belief that the committee would make its report before the end of February. That is what has happened. The report has been finalised and is with the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. They must now bring forward their responses to it. That is the position. The matter is not under discussion between my Department or any other Department and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It is with the latter Department, the response of which we await. Any expansion of the system has implications for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda Síochána and I presume that they are considering those. I agree with the Deputy that the sooner responses are received, the better it will be for everybody.

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