Department of Justice and Garda bosses have said overtime funding is available for December but gardaí confirmed a national ban on the practice has been in place since Tuesday and will run until Sunday.

An Garda Síochána can begin recruiting from next year after Justice Minister Alan Shatter announced the lifting of the embargo.

A retired assistant Garda commissioner received a golden handshake of more than €200,000 last year as part of a pension bonanza for the top brass.

Sweeping changes to the model of oversight for the Garda Síochána and how the force interacts with the Justice Minister will be debated in the Dáil this evening.