Mr. Drew Harris:

I can provide an assurance based on the rigour with which this is being advanced and addressed. Each of the cases was individually examined. Those were subsequently validated by the Garda criminal records office, which will carry out further validations. It is an interim report because an important part of the process is getting feedback from the approximately 3,400 members who we will ask what exactly happened in these cases. The numbers compiled by the Garda examination team are fairly solid. They may change by 1% or 2% but I assure the committee that there will not be a 5% or 10% variation and there is no possibility of there being a 50% or 100% variation. That has been the subject of very close examination. Since and prior to my arrival, the Garda has been very particular regarding the means in which Mr. Cleary, his team and Assistant Commissioner Leahy ensured the validity and certainty of these figures. I have confidence in the figures. If I did not, I would not have issued the interim report. It is an interim, rather than final, report because there must be a consideration of discipline issues and the explanations that will be provided. That will further inform us on what happened and the reasons for it.