Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said it is not his responsibility to regulate the annual leave of members of An Garda Síochána and everyone is entitled to annual leave.
Mr Varadkar was responding to reports that Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan will be taking a number of weeks holidays.
He also reiterated that he had full confidence in Ms O’Sullivan.
Responding to repts abt garda commissioner's holidays, Taoiseach says he hasn't details of AL re gardai @rtenews pic.twitter.com/0s3tuTEa5n
— Martina Fitzgerald (@MartinaFitzg) July 20, 2017
Yesterday, the Department of Justice said that Ms O’Sullivan did not seek a "two-month leave of absence" from the minister or the Government.
She notified the department earlier this year of her intention to take annual leave in July and August 2017, in the normal course.
It is understood Ms O'Sullivan is due to return to work in early September.
Separately, Mr Varadkar also revealed that the next simulation to plan against a terrorist attack would involve a number of agencies including the Defence Forces and emergency services.
Last week gardaí took part in a simulated response to a possible terrorist attack in Dublin.
The Government’s security committee held its first meeting today.
Ministers were briefed by gardaí and the Defence Forces on the current security situation in Ireland, who advised that the threat level is moderate, meaning that while a terrorist attack is possible, it is unlikely.
Mr Varadkar said Ireland is a safe and stable country, but "we need to prepare for every eventuality".
He said last week's garda exercise in the Dublin Docklands was very successful and the response by gardaí was "professional and reassuring".
The security committee said further exercises will be staged on a multi-agency basis involving gardaí, the Defence Forces, fire and ambulance services and other response agencies, beginning with "virtual table-top simulations" before moving on to live exercises.
It was also agreed that the committee will be established as Cabinet Committee F.
