Professor Malcolm MacLachlan:

I can assure the Senator that there are huge frustrations for people working in the system, although they do not in any way mirror the frustrations of people using the services. One of the things mentioned earlier was waiting lists. These are really problematic, particularly in disability. There are some areas of disability, like speech and language therapy, where somebody can be seen on a waiting list and their speech difficulties can be addressed very effectively and they have a lifelong benefit from that. However, for many people with a disability on a waiting list, once they are seen they often require services for many years and sometimes for the rest of their lives. A waiting list in an area like ophthalmology where one can get a fix for the problem is different from a waiting list where people have been appropriately assessed and need continuing support. That is one of the reasons waiting list initiatives do not adequately address the fundamental structural problems. As I am sure the Senator knows, the independent disability capacity review estimated that a further €1.1 billion is needed just to stand still and just to provide the services we should be providing. With an ageing population, and people thankfully living longer with conditions they would not have had before, the demands will continue to increase.