Ms Helen Hall:

Yes, you need to see it. It is absolutely more difficult. We have done a number of things. I believe Deputy Commissioner Coxon was before the committee last week. She and the acting director are looking at a gender strategy and have talked to the authority about that. It is something that we and An Garda Síochána are seized of. We are not seeing results coming through yet but the situation has improved. Some 28% to 30% of the entire service is female and the percentage at the senior level is even higher at 40%. Is that good enough? No, it is not good enough. Correcting that will help to change the culture by increasing diversity. It is not necessarily just about gender. We have another concern about the wider situation. While we do not run the competitions at the more junior level, we have a responsibility to oversee them. I refer to the new Garda competition and promotion competitions for sergeants and inspectors. We are constantly asking An Garda Síochána what it is doing to encourage people from diverse communities to apply. I refer to socioeconomic diversity as well. It is not just about gender, although that is also a problem. Does that answer the Deputy's question?