Ms Anne O'Connor:

That negotiation is nearly concluded.

The other important issue is that we have been looking to develop children's disability networks, which would significantly improve all sorts of services for children with disabilities, not only assessment of need. We concluded this process just this week and we have reached agreement through a mediated process. We will now advertise network manager posts. We will have 87 children's disability networks and network managers whose sole job will be to focus on the co-ordination of services for children with disabilities.

On CHO 4, the Cork and Kerry area has been the most challenged in terms of numbers. CHO 4 has undertaken a significant programme of improvement this year and while it is not yet out of the woods, numbers declined from in excess of 1,700 in quarter 1 to just under 1,200 now. The position is improving but there is still a way to go.