Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and thank her for coming in. She might clarify an issue raised with me again and again by local gardaí, which is rostering and the change in Galway - as a result of the working time directive - from four rosters to five. I am informed that has had the knock-on effect of having gardaí available for fewer hours, which, in turn, has had an impact on rural Garda stations which it is harder to man during the evening time. Where does the policy issue arise here? Obviously, the working time directive is connected into a different Department. How much of that is left to the authority to decide and how much to the Commissioner? What input will the Minister of the day have in having that changed? I understand that the matter of rostering is up for review again at present because the scheme in place was a pilot. The chief superintendent in Galway has sent forward a submission on the working of the pilot scheme. I am not sure if the Minister is aware of when the pilot scheme will be reviewed and if there is any move afoot to revert to the previous system or to put a system in place that would better suit rural areas.