I propose to take Questions Nos. 124 and 174 together.
The interim and final reports of the Advisory Group on Garda Management and Leadership Development contain many excellent recommendations on how management of the force can be further improved. I am very grateful to Dr. Maurice Hayes and the other members of the group for bringing their expertise from business, academic and public administration circles to bear on the issues of leadership in policing. Significant progress has been made on the issues raised in the reports. A civilian Chief Administrative Officer at Deputy Commissioner level has already been appointed and a civilian Director of Communications will shortly be in place. A number of other senior civilian posts in human resources, information and communications technology, finance, change management and legal affairs will be filled in the near future. Since December 2006 approval has been given for the recruitment of 600 civilian staff of whom over 300 have been assigned already, releasing Gardaí for operational duties. The Garda Information Services Centre at Castlebar, Co. Mayo now eliminates the need for Gardaí to return to their stations to report incidents thereby freeing up more Gardaí for operational duties. It has a staff of over 180 civilians who input data on the PULSE system, freeing up significant amounts of Garda time for continued operational duty. I will fully support the Garda Commissioner in the continued implementation of organisational reform which is supported by the analysis and recommendations of the Hayes Group.