Mr. Drew Harris:

I might go in reverse order. The amalgamation of counties under the new operating model is all about there being less management and more people out in communities. It is about the chief superintendents and superintendents doing properly strategic management of a bigger division. We have increased the number of sergeants and inspectors to support that. I can provide more detail in writing.

With any report I submit to the Minister, it is for the Minister to decide upon circulation of that report thereafter.

In respect of the strength and composition of the SDU, the unit almost exclusively deals with terrorism and counter-espionage.

The resources associated with that remain confidential. I report directly to the Minister on those matters.

We recognise that recruitment and retention are an issue. We are a major employer and, like every other major employer, we are in a very competitive place as regards recruiting individuals. We have our own working group. There have been some improvements in the terms and conditions for those coming in and changes to the eligibility age but there are other outstanding issues between the associations and the Department in respect of terms and conditions. I have written in respect of those issues as well. We want to expand our recruitment effort and we have to look to groups that are underrepresented in An Garda Síochána. That includes women and other underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities. That is a particular issue for us.

I do not have the number of recruits who did not finish their training during 2023 to hand but it would be small. I have seen some commentators report very large numbers but that is not correct. You are talking about two handfuls across the year. I would be surprised if it was any more than that.

The time I provided earlier related to telephone contact. I will ask Ms Richardson to cover the next issue.