Ms Caroline O'Loughlin:

In this instance, the performance report would try to capture the metrics that represent that work, in the body of the report in the performance metrics but also specifically under equality budgeting. We have done a lot of work in the past with the Department of Health to improve the metrics that represent disability spending and I know they have greatly improved over the past number of years. There are specific metrics under the equality budgeting heading that address disability. With equality budgeting, it is not a matter of trying to clock up metrics and thinking the job is done. We are trying to demonstrate to the Departments that if they add an extra lens to performance budgeting to target specific cohorts of society, public expenditure will be much more effective. That is what we are trying to demonstrate to the Departments. We have done a lot of work with the Department of Health to improve metrics. The metrics in the body of the report from the Department of Health on equality are quite good and, as I mentioned, equality is reflected in a number of the equality budgeting metrics specifically.