Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Minister referred earlier to the number of gardaí on the ground. Dundalk must be very well supplied with gardaí if the Minister thinks there are many gardaí on the ground. If the Minister visits my constituency, he will not see many gardaí on the ground. The gardaí in my area are entirely over-stretched in terms of numbers, etc. I do not know how the Minister can be so complacent. Is it not the case, on the basis of the figures the Minister has given the House, that more than three times the average number of gardaí will retire from the force this year, the end of which we have not reached? If three times as many gardaí plan to retire in 2009 as in any of the previous seven or eight years, we cannot say it is not an unusual phenomenon. If the Minister for Finance does not intend to tax the lump sum, would it not be helpful for him, or the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, to make a statement to that effect at this point, in the interests of helping the Garda to retain its experience and expertise?

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