On 5 September 2002, Ms Justice Laffoy was told by the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, that the Government agreed in principle to the provision of additional resources. The Minister stated that the commission should proceed with the process of filling new posts in a gradual fashion and on a temporary basis. However, he said that it should employ additional staff on short contracts of about six months. How can it be said that this attitude seriously assisted the commission? Ms Justice Laffoy required long-term commitments to provide the resources needed to speed up radically the work of the investigative committee.