Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

There has been some change in staff numbers. It is true that some of the staff have been there a long time. This is a feature of the veterinary staff of the Department. For a variety of reasons, including specialist expertise and geographic location, our veterinary staff are scattered throughout the country in individual locations. This makes rotation of staff in areas a little more challenging on the veterinary side. Furthermore, in the case of the investigations division, the issue of corporate memory arises and is particularly acute. Cases take a long time to investigate, and, especially if they go to prosecution, to come to court. In fact, delays in this area are among the criticisms made of the State, with some justification. Changing staff can be challenging in that respect.

Nevertheless, the Department has a mobility policy in respect of its staff and it is a question of rolling that out. There are new staffing arrangements. Within the past two weeks we have got what is termed "delegated sanction" from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in respect of our staffing. I can go into what that means if the committee wishes, but basically it promises a somewhat more flexible arrangement than the existing or previous scenario with a moratorium on staff recruitment. Obviously, a moratorium on staff recruitment makes any mobility of staff doubly difficult. We need to bring people in and double up staff in some of more the complex areas rather than simply moving someone out and moving someone else in on the same day.