Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

The Department of Justice and Equality is in discussions with the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, with the Garda Commissioner, on dealing with the cost of the State visits. We are faced with difficult economic challenges, passed on to us by the previous Government, and money is not that freely available. However, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, is following up on the issue of these costs.

As I stated, the Garda Commissioner and Garda management are reviewing policing operations. When the review is completed, the Minister will let both Houses know — he has stated he will leave no Member in the dark — when he has made a decision, unlike the previous Government which did not inform either Members or the public about decisions it had made to cut services or the reasons behind them.