Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is not appropriate for me to talk about numbers while the conciliation process is ongoing. It is a priority for me to secure agreement through that process with RACO so we can move ahead and ensure, first, that we maintain the training levels and skill sets that are needed in this very important area and, second, that we have the numbers we need to ensure we are fully covered. I intend to progress the matter as a priority but, as with the 21-year rule issue, I must wait for a process to conclude before I can start making definitive commitments and comments on it. Otherwise I would be wading into the middle of a conciliation process, which would not be very clever in the current environment.

See this speech in context