Dr. Cathal Morgan:

The SOP needs to be understood in the context of the wider reform initiative we are implementing. I do not regard it as a defensive approach. I regard it as a mechanism by which we meet the law of the land. There are legal requirements for the State on assessment of need. However, in policy terms, if one looks at progressive disability services, in the UN convention that Professor MacLachlan referenced, assessment in and of itself without an interdisciplinary intervention programme is meaningless. As Deputy Ward outlined, parents are waiting and crying out for intervention. The additional resources to clear the backlog allow the network teams that are being set up as we speak and that will be fully in place by the end of this quarter, quarter 2. They are about timely intervention and making sure at the same time that we meet the conditions of our legislative requirements.

We have said in the response to the OCO's report that we do welcome the review requirements.