Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be aware that the jobs market now is somewhat different to what it was some years ago. In recent years, we have succeeded in bringing down unemployment from a high of 15.2% to almost 6% now. That means there are job opportunities for people and choices that were not available at other times. That has put considerable pressure on some aspects of the public service in terms of recruitment.

I am satisfied, on the basis of the figures available, that the recruitment of an appropriate number of staff to INIS will continue apace. We have new requirements in respect of the passenger information unit as well. I have looked at a profile of the personnel within INIS. There is something of a turnover and something of a challenge with people leaving to take up other career opportunities. It seems to me that if we can succeed in the recruitment campaign then the figures for 2018 will be re-adjusted in such a way as to reflect the spending of the moneys available this year that were not spent.