Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Good. I have two other issues on the budget. There is an expected underspend of €4.27 million in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, subhead. I find this worrying. Last year we talked about an underspend in INIS and last year the Minister told us:

The underspend in INIS relates to staff recruitment. Having regard to the ongoing programme of recruitment for INIS, it is envisaged that this will correct itself and it will be rebalanced for 2018.

Sadly, given the information the Minister has provided today, it has not been rebalanced. First, why has it not been rebalanced? Second, we know there are enormous delays throughout the whole immigration system and people are finding it appallingly impossible to get appointments, Garda National Immigration Bureau, GNIB, cards, visas and so on. What is the position in terms of getting staff to plug the gaps? Why is this still an issue one year on, when the Minister told us last year it was going to be sorted out?