Mr. Paul Savage:

I do not want to be taken up incorrectly. I was not saying it was a staff issue. I acknowledged the fact that, if we could get more resources, we would be happy to take them. I am sure my colleagues right across the Department would say they would happily accept more resources tomorrow if they could get them.

What I said was that there is a staffing resource issue, an IT issue and an administrative issue. There are many issues we have to resolve to get payments out but we are using the staffing and resources we have as effectively as we can. We are improving on this all the time and streamlining our processes. Our staff in Wexford have been doing a fantastic job despite what might be picked up from broader comments being made. They are doing a fantastic job under very difficult circumstances and they are expert in and absolutely committed to what they do. They have been doing overtime and making a considerable additional effort to get the payments out. I believe we are using staff and resources effectively. If I were asked whether I would take on more staff next week, I would, of course. We could do with a lot more things and with a lot more breathing space, but we are working ahead with what we have right across the board, be it in respect of staffing or IT resourcing, and making improvements all the time.