The Garda Commissioner has said that the force will start to recruit again at the end of the year.
Fachtna Murphy was speaking before the Public Accounts Committee about the civilianisation of An Garda Síochána.
He said he also wanted to lower the ratio of garda to civilians working for the gardaí.
The PAC is considering the civilianisation of An Garda Síochána to allow more trained garda to be freed from administration work.
Fianna Fáil's Darragh O'Brien said that many more civilians were brought into the force than gardaí were released to work on the frontline.
The Commissioner said it was simply not possible to put one garda out on the street for every civilian who takes up administration work in the force.
In relation to the garda vetting unit, which checks adults who are to work with children, the Commissioner said the force is working to capacity and needs more accommodation and more people.
Mr Murphy said the garda will be moving in the future to a CAB-like structure, involving other agencies of the State in the vetting process.
The Garda Commissioner also told the Committee that he does not accept that there is a culture of overtime payment in the gardaí.
He said it is necessary for flexibility and that he tries to make sure it is for frontline activities.
He was responding to Labour Deputy Tommy Broughan who noted a figure of €333m for extra remuneration in the year 2008.
Deputy Broughan said that one person earned €81,000 in overtime in that year.
Commissioner Murphy also told the PAC that 20% of the overtime bill routinely goes to court appearances by gardaí.
He said he would like to move towards 'certification of evidence' to change this situation.
The Commissioner said the forthcoming Criminal Justice Bill aimed to provide for this type of system.
He told the Committee the Court Presenters Scheme (where certain gardaí only are allocated to the task), which works in Dublin cannot be extended countrywide because Garda Superintendents prosecute outside Dublin.
Drug seizures down
The Commissioner also told the Committee that headshops had impacted on the level of drugs seized in the last year, but he did not say how.
A little earlier he said drug seizures were down but searches were up.
He said this was in line with international trends and may be associated with the recession.
The Commissioner said he believed cocaine consumption had decreased.
But he would not say whether there was generally a decrease in the volume of drugs in the country.
Mr Murphy also said he had no intention of closing down any garda stations in rural areas.
Regarding the activities of crime gangs, he said the garda had sent 12 files to the Director of Public Prosecutions since the new legislation on gangland crime was enacted.
On drink driving, he said the gardaí was making fewer detections.
He said his conclusion was that the culture of drink driving was changing.
