Mr. Paul McBride:

I would like to come back on a couple of points raised by Deputy Wynne. She asked how the committee might assist us. As I said earlier, we would welcome some political focus on the demonstration project. We accept there are some flaws within it in terms of, for example, reassessment of need where a budget is already provided. There are restrictions around entitlement to participate in the pilot in terms of age and existing budgets. As mentioned by Fionn and Jonathan Angus, the question is around whether the project is adequately resourced. A budget of €1.3 million of public finding is ring-fenced for the project, which I understand will go towards funding 4.5 full-time equivalent staff plus a project manager. One wonders if that is adequate resourcing for a project that essentially will engage with 180 individuals through three different variants of a personalised budget. That said, as mentioned by Deputy Wynne, there have been attempts here before. We are where we are and there has been a lot of effort put into getting us to where we are in terms of the task force. I do not think we should allow a loss of momentum in terms of bringing this to a conclusion. If we do, we will be right back to the start. That would be a terrible waste of time and effort and it would be very disappointing for many people.

The Deputy also mentioned that Áiseanna Tacaíochata has applied for and been refused funding in relation to growing its numbers and to provide more spaces to individuals. The Deputy is correct that we have applied for funding through two different channels. We applied to the national office, HSE, for an increase in our core funding and we also applied to the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities, Deputy Rabbitte, for funding under the strengthening disability fund for the same purpose. In both cases, we were declined the funding in the context of the demonstration project. That is the only show in town in terms of where personalised budgets will go. That was fine two or three years ago, but three years down the road there are people whose opportunity to avail of a direct payment is being denied to them while the project is delayed. There is need for an interim plan to provide small but not insignificant amounts of funding to organisations like AT so that we can, at least, provide some additional spaces to those individuals who are waiting while await the demonstration project.