Dr. Fergal Lynch:

That is a fair point. The demand-led nature of the scheme is such that this is what influences the costs. Under the current system, if the service had been assigned to the entire country at the same rate as in Dublin, the overall cost would no doubt have been more expensive. I stress that is under the current payment mechanism. We are now talking pretty much about having a GAL for all children whose case is the subject of a court care order hearing, which will mean far more GALs will be required, but under a different payment system.