Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, I wish to assure the committee that the underspend is in respect of recruitment of staff. We are keen to ensure that there is a full complement of staff and that the resources allow for increases where appropriate. As we head towards the end of the year, the recruitment programme has not been completed in the manner in which it might otherwise have been but I am satisfied that as we go into the new year and into the 2018 budget, and as the current vacancies are filled, those figures will correct themselves. I would not like a view to be formed that there is any form of constrict in the matter of resources available to INIS. This is purely in the area of the recruitment of staff. Recruitment of staff is under way. I would expect that the vacancies will have been completed by the spring of next year and that the figures will correct themselves.

On the overtime, this is an issue that has been in the public domain arising from a leaked circular referring to the cancellation of overtime. It was suggested in the media that overtime would not be available to members of An Garda Síochána between now and the end of the year. I am happy to report that that is not so. I wish to reassure people who may have been concerned by these reports that the funding is being made available to gardaí to ensure that people are safe in their homes, and particularly on the streets, during the midwinter and Christmas period. There are issues for the gardaí in terms of the management of the funds but we are dealing in real time with a situation where there is a sum of money available for Garda overtime to the order of €130 million for this year, much of which has been expended, and the overtime bill for December 2017 will be a matter for the 2018 budget. Those funds are fully available. I wish to advise members that the management of the Garda funding and the prudent managing of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Síochána.