Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.

The Government announced in July 2008 that Departments and State agencies in general were to make a 3% payroll reduction by the end of 2009. The Office of the Chief State Solicitor and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions have informed me they can meet this reduction without affecting existing levels of service.

I am aware of what the Director of Public Prosecutions said in the media in October 2008. Contrary to the claim made in Deputy Flanagan's question, he did not say that he would be unable to process criminal cases in 2009. What the DPP said related to the Government's announcement in October that no specific provision would be made for the 3.5% increase to be paid from September 2009 under Towards 2016. In that context, the DPP said that from the end of 2009, "some cases prosecuted in the District Court may have to be handed back to An Garda Síochána for prosecution".

I am confident that the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Chief State Solicitor will, throughout 2009 and beyond, continue to achieve the best level of service possible from the resources available to them.

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