Dr. Joanne McCarthy:

While none of the members raised the same issues, I apologise if I acknowledge one person and not somebody else.

With regard to the house adaptation grant, we have experienced the same as everyone else. It has been an issue for a long time and well before the onset of the recession. I know and remember, anecdotally, one area being told, before it even got the allocation for the following year, that funding had been totally eaten up by waiting lists. The problem has been prevalent for some time and I am sure research is available. If anybody is interested in the research please let me know and I will get it as I do not have it to hand.

A number of Members raised an issue about Intreo offices. It is an issue and is not confined to one particular area. There is a sense that when people present with a disability they are referred to just two disability employment specialists. People with disabilities come from different groups. Some people are more job ready than others and, therefore, it is more appropriate for them to go to Intreo offices. However, we have been told that Intreo offices are saying they do not feel they have the specialism to respond to people with disabilities. There are teething problems that we are trying to address. We sought funding to carry out research and begin to look at how one could upskill or work with Intreo offices thus leaving them feeling they have the skills to work with people who are more job ready, and then work with specialist organisations to support them.