Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our visitors and thank them for their presentations. I would like to see a statutorily based national advocacy service which is independent, publicly funded and accountable. That is the big picture but I am not sure where the various organisations see a starting point. Is that what they would see as the overall big picture?

My second question arises from that. Mr. Tyndall has described this area as a maze and we would all agree with him. What would the advocacy service that should be available look like in practice? For instance, how can the procedure for making complaints be simplified and is there a time limit for, or stages to, this procedure? Should there be or is there a local support person in each community care area to advocate on behalf of individuals? My main question is what this advocacy service will look like on the ground and how it will interchange with individuals, especially those who have a problem and want advocacy services?