Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The Deputy referred to the recent recruitment embargo. The EU-IMF agreement, as concluded at the end of last year, provided for a reduction in Garda numbers from 14,500 to 13,000 by 2014. Indeed, the numbers are supposed to decrease to 13,500 during the course of this year, but the likelihood of achieving that is low, since the previous Government did not prescribe any mechanism that would result in a reduction of 1,000 personnel. The reduction depends on the number of gardaí who reach retirement age or who voluntarily retire. When the force is reduced to 13,000 personnel, it will have the equivalent of 2006's numbers. I am happy they will be able to carry out their duties.

The assignment of posts are operational matters for the Garda Commissioner. Like the Government, he is committed to ensuring that we use our well-trained members of An Garda Síochána for policing duties and not for administrative duties unnecessarily. I have the greatest confidence that he will progress the programme of civilianisation to fill posts that do not require the expertise and training of a garda.

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