Can murderers, specifically wife murderers, continue on the State payroll after conviction? Is there any regulation to stop someone receiving State funds years after killing someone, particularly the mother of their child? A number of attempts have been made to find out if James Kilroy, who murdered Valerie French, is still being paid by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS. My information is that he is. A journalist asked the NPWS and was told it was the subject of legal correspondence. Three freedom of information requests by somebody else have failed to elicit a clear answer. The first response said they could not answer a personal question. The second said that they could not clarify the procedure and it was being dealt with on a case-by-case basis. The third request also failed to elicit an answer. I ask the Taoiseach straight, why would the NPWS not point to the regulation where someone is no longer turning up to work and on the payroll? The information is that James Kilroy can not only keep his children but also that he can keep getting paid by the taxpayer years after killing his wife. Nothing seems to have been done about this. Why is this happening?

In respect of guardianship, there has been change.

Yes.

The Deputy has to acknowledge that. The Minister for justice has moved on that matter legislatively. I do not have the background in respect of the NPWS and how it is dealing with this, but I will find out and come back to the Deputy.

There is no law to stop such people being on the State payroll.

Deputy, the same applies. This is not a back and forth.

Well, Deputy Martin should know that. He is the Taoiseach of the country.

Excuse me, Deputy.

He should be able to indicate whether there is a law-----

I call on Deputy Michael Collins.