Ms Lois West:

Absolutely. It is one of the fundamental issues on which Ms Galligan and I have been arguing. Our view is that if a scene is attended to and there is any possibility a person has met with foul play or there are suspicious circumstances, it should, first and foremost, be entered on the PULSE system as a homicide. I am not sure if there are particular difficulties of which I am not aware that would lead to this not happening. However, it seems logical to me that the investigation start high and work back. That would also give confidence to families and the public that absolutely everything was being done within An Garda Síochána to investigate such cases. I agree that there is an absolute difference between an investigation and a full, proper and complete investigation. I know that the media have picked up on this and want to clarify the position because we do not want scaremongering and the causing of unnecessary concern. What we always asked for was a full and independent review in order that we would be able to give confirmed assurance that everything was as it should be. There is no doubt that in the course of our work we did raise questions. Some have been answered and I am sure some will be as the review process moves into the next phase. However, I want to get away from the idea of crimes not being fully investigated. We want to get to a position where we can give assurance that we are satisfied everything is exactly as it should be.