Professor Siobhán Mullally:

We have been appointed as commissioners designate of the new body in our independent capacity. As such, we will serve independently. We all have other jobs, positions and work ongoing, but we are committed to being fully independent as commissioners. We have discussed the matter. While we will engage constructively with civil society, we view ourselves as a different body and a national human rights institution.

We will progress the planning of our staffing and resourcing in the coming weeks. We are required to present a business plan relatively soon. We will continue with that planning.

My colleague, Mr. Kelly, has a number of points to make.