Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for his reply. On 19 July 2011, some three months ago, we received from the Minister an answer in regard to the breakdown of costs. It is our duty to support the Minister in his work. There is no doubt of the benefits which accrued from the visits and that the expenditure was necessary in the circumstances. It is three months on from when the Minister provided the House with a detailed breakdown. How many meetings has the Minister had with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, since then? Is he placing any specific demands on the Minister to make up the overspend from within existing Garda resources? In view of the benefit the visits had for the country, is he in a position to get an extra allocation from other Departments given the collective gain for the country?

See this speech in context