Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plan for garda promotions in 2012; the number of anticipated promotions; when this matter will be brought to Cabinet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6584/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, today I secured Cabinet approval for the appointment of two assistant Garda commissioners, eight chief superintendents and 23 superintendents, giving a total of 33 appointments to senior Garda ranks. All of the consequential vacancies at sergeant and inspector ranks will also be filled.

I was very glad to secure the agreement of my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Cabinet as a whole for such a significant number of appointments. In seeking these promotions I was conscious of the need to enable the Garda Commissioner to fill key positions in the senior ranks and maintain both the investigative and also the management and supervisory capacity of the force.

With clarity emerging on the final number of retirements expected by the end of this month, I will be discussing with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the case for filling outstanding vacancies in the senior ranks.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the fact that the Minister eventually got around to getting Cabinet approval for that and that he has got agreement to fill the consequential vacancies down the line. What is the timeframe for the filling of those consequential vacancies?

To return to a previous question, is there a transition team in place in the Department of Justice and Equality? If so, who is on it, and when was it established to manage all these retirements and the consequences of them for An Garda Síochána and for the other organisations that come under the Minister's remit?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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On the question of when the other appointments will be made, I have had discussions with the Garda Commissioner - I talked to him today after these appointments were announced - and I understand he will put in place the appropriate procedures for the making of the appointments. I do not want to give an exact date because it is a matter for him in the context of his managerial function of the force, but I understand he will proceed with all appropriate speed in that regard.

I answered the question the Deputy has again raised regarding transitional arrangements in my Department. We took a very comprehensive overview, at a very early stage after my appointment, of the different steps to be taken in dealing with the different issues that would come up, including the position with regard to Garda retirements and where we would be at 29 February. It was deemed appropriate that these promotions would be announced today. Other senior members of the force will retire on 29 February and those positions are the subject of conversations between myself and the Minister, Deputy Howlin, and I expect that appropriate decisions will be made in that regard.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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There is no transition team in place

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I will eventually get to that.

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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I call Deputy Buttimer. He has one minute. The Deputies will have to change Standing Orders.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Bring back the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I very much welcome the news by the Minister of the appointment of people to 33 positions, in particular those of 23 superintendents and eight chief superintendents, and the fact that consequential posts will be filled. That will augment the force, the members of which are doing great work. As a consequence of the new slimmed-down public service, are there plans to create new Garda divisions and structures in the Garda Síochána, the members of which are doing great work in our communities?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Today was a good news story for the Garda.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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It is important that at a time of financial difficulty, we approach-----

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister was shamed into it by the Commissioner.

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Allow the Minister to continue without interruption.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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-----the issue of the use of resources effectively.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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They had to come in and beg.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Garda Commissioner would have known a little time ago that these matters would come before the Cabinet this week.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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They were supposed to come forward in January.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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There is no difference of any description between myself and the Garda Commissioner-----

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Calleary is disappointed that the positions are being filled.

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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The Minister to continue without interruption.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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-----who is doing a tremendous job.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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No thanks to the Minister.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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In the ongoing issue of ensuring maximum efficiencies, there will be a look at the current structure of the Garda force to determine whether further efficiencies can be effected and resources targeted in a manner that is to the benefit of the Garda and the general community. That is ongoing work that will continue during the course of this year both within the force and in the context of any other structure that may be put in place.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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For the record of the House, it should be noted that the Garda Commissioner was forced to come to the Committee of Public Accounts meeting last Thursday to ask for these vacancies to be filled.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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He was not forced to come to it last Thursday; he was due to come to it.

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Deputy Calleary to continue without interruption. He might put a question to the Minister.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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There is no good news about being embarrassed into it.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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That is more nonsense.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Is there a transition team in place in the Department of Justice and Equality-----

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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All the Deputy wanted to do was to give out in the hope that the positions would not be filled.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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-----such as that announced by the Taoiseach?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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There is a transition team in place at Government level which covers a broad range of Departments and deals with any issues that may arise as a result of the retirements. As I keep on telling the Deputy, however, who seems to think there is something mysterious about this, in the context of the Department of Justice and Equality, we have, in consultation with the Garda Commissioner and throughout the period since I was appointed, looked at the developments, the areas where vacancies would arise, predicted where we might be at the end of February, and made decisions accordingly.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister said the Commissioner was aware these appointments were going to be before the Cabinet today. When did he become aware that the appointments were to be made?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The memo on the matter, without breaching the concept of Cabinet confidentiality, would have been prepared - if it is of assistance to the Deputy to know this - before last week. Appropriately the matter was before the Cabinet today.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister allay the suspicions of Deputy Dara Calleary by confirming that the announcements made today will lead to enhanced policing and that they will not in any way diminish-----

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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The time allowed for this question is diminished. We must move on.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The world will not end on 29 February.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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It is important that we confirm for Deputy Dara Calleary who constantly thinks the world is about to end - every weekend he seems to issue a statement suggesting the end of the world is nigh-----

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I took lessons from the Minister.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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-----that the world will continue beyond 29 February right into March, April and May. The Government will continue to make positive decisions to the benefit of the country, not just in the areas of justice and defence but also across the broad range of areas in which my colleagues in government work.