Dr. Kathleen MacLellan:

It is important to say that the Department of Health's first role is to provide services, policy and legislation for the health system. We have provided €2.2 billion for specialist disability services, an increase of €100 million this year. Nobody wants to see families taking cases in respect of access to services. Our role here is to try to build the capacity within the system so that the services that families require can be provided.

At the outset, and it is very clear in the documentation provided, the first principle for the Department of Education and the health system has been to provide services for these families. In the case where we cannot meet what families are asking for, we aim to work with them over the years to try to sort out and resolve the service issues. Second, the principle behind the legal approach was to try to settle these cases, and not to have them continuing. The Department is very sensitive regarding these families, where they are at and the services they are trying to provide. Our approach over several years within the Department has been to build the specialist disability services and to ensure they are in place for those families.