Mr. Ian Elliott:

I thank Deputy Rabbitte for the questions. I understand them and note the frustration that she expresses. As someone who is coming as an independent person, from a safeguarding perspective, I share that frustration. The total number of files that I have been informed of existing which were pre-2003 is in the region of 300. Since 2003, to today, that has been added to by a further 500 to 600. It would be my intention to look at all of those files and to read them to confirm that there is nothing in the content of those files that the organisation is not aware of and has not acted appropriately on. The only way to do that is by sitting down and critically reviewing them, then providing an analysis and commentary to the organisation to make sure that something has not been missed. Like the Deputy, I have a passion about what I do. The reason I have continued to do it for the past 44 years is because the safety of young people motivates me. It is frustrating when I meet with a situation where an organisation may have information that it should have acted differently on and has not pushed the buttons. The only way I can be sure that that has not occurred is to sit down, do it and read the files.

I intend to do that myself. It has not started yet because of the volume of work. When I first made contact with Scouting Ireland in July of last year, I did not anticipate that I would still be working for it at this time and that I would still be as involved as I am. It has been a process of revelation and development which I have tried to respond to and tried to guide the organisation through. As mentioned in the opening statement from Mr. Martin Burbridge, the historic files are critical. That is accepted. It is a priority. We will look at that by critically reviewing each one of them and ensuring that any information that should have been passed on to any other agencies that are working for the people or to the statutory child protection agency has been passed on. It is a priority. The leave is for one week. I will go on holiday. I have already been told by my wife that if I bring my laptop with me, she will shoot me, so I will not be doing any work. I will have my phone with me but I will not be doing a great deal of work for that week. When I come back, that is when I will begin.