Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The purpose of the question is to elicit information about discussions the Minister has had with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with regard to the recruitment embargo and its impact on front-line services. We all accept that when the downturn of the economy came upon us abruptly, there was a necessity to try to stabilise the public finances. The embargo on recruitment is always a blunt instrument but it becomes more blunt as time goes on. I would like the Minister to inform us about the discussions he has had to replace front-line services in particular.

See this speech in context