Mr. Pat Healy:

On Deputy Daly's question on outcomes, we are providing for a specific professional post as part of the reconfiguration. We are going to do it at national level this year. It will be assigned specifically with a role in the development of outcomes for the programme for those between zero and 18. Obviously, we will be working with colleagues on the wider agenda concerning outcomes overall but we want to focus specifically on the rolling out of the aforementioned programme.

Deputy Griffin and Senator Power referred to leave. Within the health service, we are limited by the employment control framework. We have some flexibility, which is limited by resources. There is a certain amount of cover possible, which often relates to maternity leave or sick leave, but if one goes beyond what is resourced, there is just no funding to cover. There have been gaps in some of our services when there was a high proportion of leave, for whatever reason. We have tried to come up with innovative ways of trying to deal with the problem locally, including through using clinics and reorganising how we operate. However, the employment control framework and the necessity to live within fixed resources bring challenges.

As I said to Senator Power, we have absolutely prioritised the therapy posts for filling, particularly those being talked about at this meeting. Given the importance of therapy posts, we are trying to maximise the resources we have for the very reasons suggested by the Deputy and in recognition of trying to roll out the programme. At the same time, however, there is a significant challenge in terms of health resources. The employment control framework applies and we must live within it.