Ms Shirley Comerford:

We do have a relationship with the Garda and the Department of Justice because we are obviously the primary recruitment operator for the civil and public service. On this particular question, as Mr. O'Sullivan said, the new regulations are very wide reaching and there have been a number of changes.

One of the changes is that the Public Appointments Service will support An Garda Síochána in its internal promotion process. The important thing, particularly in respect of this particular topic, is that the eligibility to compete is a matter for An Garda Síochána. While we would administer the mechanics of a recruitment process, the eligibility criteria are assessed by An Garda Síochána. We do not, therefore, have a role in that part of the process.