Ms Laverne McGuinness:

With regard to the 416 posts, significant progress has been made. Deputy Ó Caoláin is correct that, at the end of the October, 17 posts had been filled. Another 28.5 candidates have been asked to take up posts and that process is being progressed. In addition, 275 candidates had been given offers and we are currently going through Garda clearance and checks and they will come in, while 67 other positions are being posted by human resources division. Of the 416 posts, 28 are not in active progress. We said in our service plan that we would progress to fill them in the final quarter of the year. We are confident we will have a significant number of them in by the end of the year with some more at the beginning of next year.