Mr. Michael Hennessy:

I have a couple of things to say in respect of the questions Deputy Canney raised on a family with a diagnosis of, for instance, autism. First, we mentioned that the progressing disability services need to be fully completed, because they are still a work in progress in many parts of the country. That is an issue because a person must go from unit disciplinary teams where they might have gone to one service for autism, another service for physical disability and another service for intellectual disability. Having a single point of contact is important. That is in place in parts of the country. It is not in place in others, but it is getting there. The urgent completion of that is very important. Identifying teams with significant caseloads where the resourcing needs to come up to the levels as they are around country is hugely important.

In terms of the pathways, co-ordination between education and disability service, particularly on pathways through life, is an area that could be improved, for example, through education into employment and into services. We have advocated for guidance counsellors in special schools so that people are made aware of the range of options that are available to them, which enables families and people to make the best possible choices.