Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Let us look at the output since the legislation passed and since additional staff have come on board.

If we look at where we were throughout 2020 and where we have been in the last couple of months, we see volume is starting to ramp up again significantly and it needs to continue to ramp up. I can assure the committee that in terms of the additional staff coming on board, and more will come on board, every effort is being made to address the licence applications that are there and to ensure that volume continues to come out. There is no doubt the backlog and the delays led to a drying up of supply and the immediate priority is to replenish that supply in the short term, and for next year as well.