Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am informed it is after second stage. Now that Deputy Fleming has raised it with me, I will see if anything can be done. It will be very hard. There were approximately 25,000 applicants for An Garda Síochána. Online applications make the process very efficient. It is the same with any postal application in that one cannot be sure the person who signs the form is the person he or she claims to be, unless everyone is brought in in tranches. To do that for 25,000 people and to supervise them would add immeasurably to the cost. I will raise the point and ask PAS to consider the point Deputy Fleming has made.