Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is why we have a homeless crisis. The Government, which owns NAMA which is Senator Coghlan's favourite organisation, is selling and approving the sale of houses on the instructions of receivers. They are being sold on the public market.They are being purchased not by the Government to relieve the housing crisis but by private investors. That is the epitome of a lack of joined-up thinking.

I also seek a debate on the issue of leave of absence within the Garda. This year, 1,050 gardaí have taken leave of absence from the force. The force strength is 12,000 so almost one in 12 gardaí are on a leave of absence. As Senator Paul Coghlan knows, there are 295 gardaí in Kerry, so that is the equivalent of three counties in Ireland being without gardaí for some or all of the year. We must address that situation. There is a simple solution to the problem of gardaí being on leave of absence. We use it in respect of teachers and nurses. It means asking retired gardaí if they wish to go on a substitute or replacement list. They would be informed of leave of absence in various Garda divisions and they could opt to substitute for the people concerned. It is a commonsense solution to this problem in the Garda. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on that issue.

It is a commonsense solution but, as the Leader knows, commonsense is not very common. We do this for nurses and teachers. Last year, 1,090 gardaí took leave of absence and I have given the figure for this year. Gardaí are as entitled as anybody else to take leave of absence but we solve the problem in other branches of the public sector by bringing in substitutes. We need a similar solution in respect of the Garda.

There is a huge problem with crime, both in rural areas and in Dublin. The fact that over 1,000 gardaí were on leave of absence during 2015 means we require a solution to this problem. Perhaps the Minister would come to House to discuss what can be done. This problem will not go away, but we have a solution with regard to the teachers and nurses through the use of substitutes. We must do the same for the Garda and ensure there is a replacement or substitute list composed of retired gardaí so the force can be at full strength. That is not the 12,000 which the Government says is available. When one subtracts the 1,050 gardaí who are on leave of absence, what is available is just over 10,000 in 2015. We are seeking to be helpful to the Government. Instead of raising problems and giving it headaches, we ask it to take on this proposal.