The Police Ombudsman stands by her criticisms of the police investigation into the Omagh bombing and believes it is time to move away from public disagreement and to address the issues.
In a short statement yesterday, Mrs Nuala O'Loan acknowledged "clear differences on fundamental matters of fact between my findings and the information presented today by the Police Service".
But she insisted: "I stand very firmly behind the report from my office." She sympathised with the victims' families, adding: "I agree with them that it is the issues that are important and that further public disagreement between the Police Service and my Office should be avoided."
Mrs O'Loan focused on what she called the "massive atrocity" committed by the Omagh bombers and on the awesome responsibility faced by the police. In an attempt to praise aspects of the investigation, she said: "In so many ways they deserve much credit for much of what they have done."
However, she said: "It would not have been right of me to minimise, or be deflected from making criticism of the failures and deficiencies which we have found over the past months, many of which were clearly identified by their own internal review."
She believes many of the criticisms in her report, compiled by an international team of investigators, are shared by the RUC's own review of the investigation and that these have not been adequately addressed by the Chief Constable.
Appealing for time for the victims' families and the Policing Board to consider the issues, she said: "It is important that past mistakes are not repeated and that everything possible is done to catch those behind this terrible atrocity."
Asked later by The Irish Times whose mistakes she had in mind, she made clear it was the errors in the investigation referred to in her severely critical report.
She stressed the recommendations contained in her report "are about change, change now for the future in the belief that there will be the best possible policing service for the whole community".
Asked if she still contended that the appointment of an outsider to take charge of the investigation is vital she said: "This was my first recommendation and as I say, I stand by the substance of that report and my recommendations."
"The Omagh bomb investigation was a major investigation. Parts of it were very well done, parts of it were not very well done.
"There was a review and the recommendations of the review were not implemented in what I see as a timely fashion."