Mr. Hugh Hume:

There are a couple of issues around that. First, in order for us to open a public interest investigation as the Deputy articulated, we would have to be satisfied it was in the public interest, but also that there was sufficient grounds to believe it would lead to criminal or disciplinary procedures against a member of the Garda and, as we mentioned earlier, would not relate to the general control of An Garda Síochána.

Devoid of any information that would allow us to conclude the result would be criminal disciplinary action, we could not open an investigation.