Dr. Geoffrey Shannon:

I suggest the focus on section 13 would then provide the basis and the question on the broader audit might well emerge from that. What I have - hopefully successfully - undertaken is a highlighting of how the section 12 process operates. I am confident the conclusions I have arrived at demonstrated two high-level points, in that An Garda Síochána exercised its powers proportionately. There is no evidence of racial profiling. What it demonstrates is poor inter-agency co-operation between the agencies. We now need to examine what happens next in the aftermath of the section 13 review and having looked at the court files. I had seen this in three phases, first, looking at the section 12 phase, next looking at section 13, in other words, what happened when the case ended up in Tusla's office and then what happened ultimately when the case was disposed of by the court. That would give us a comprehensive picture as to how a large part of our child protection system operates. If that produces issues that need further explanation, I would suggest at that stage that we would consider a broader audit. I hope that answers the Deputy's question and is of assistance.