Mr. Tony O'Brien:

In respect of eight persons - as opposed to eight organisations - there is legal advice and consideration of legal advice by the employing authority. In regard to 50 persons, there is a requirement for further information from the individuals concerned. In some of these cases the conclusion will be, having looked at the information, that there is no legal obligation. In other cases, evidence will be proffered. Essentially, we are saying it is very easy for an agency to claim it has an irrevocable legal obligation to an individual, but it is up to that agency to prove it to us.