Mr. Bernard O'Regan:

I will deal with some and Professor MacLachlan might comment on some as well. In terms of the current structure of the leadership around the CDNTs, I am the head of operations. In that sense, the implementation of the policy is within my remit. I have a small team of people who support me in that. We are currently looking at the structure around it and I do not know what the outcome of that will be. I am very aware of the point implicit in the Deputy's question in terms of the importance of having someone dedicated there. That is something that I am looking at.

In terms of the impact of the critical skills list, I will follow-up on that with HR colleagues and come back to the Deputy. I do not have an answer to be able to specify the benefit but I will come back on that to the Deputy.

In relation to section 39 pay, that is an issue, not only in relation to our children services but across other service areas as well. It is something that has been raised with Government. The Deputy is correct that it is not something that is within our gift in the HSE to be able to resolve, but certainly it is something the impact of which we experience in terms of engaging with organisations that are really challenged in terms of their staffing. In different parts of the country, that is having a significant impact. It is certainly part of the suite of answers or solutions that need to be addressed.

In terms of the options and incentives for staff, we have a number of measures we are finalising with HR both to recruit and retain staff. We have invested, for example, and communicated in recent weeks a very significant commitment to staff training. We are looking at sponsorship. We are looking at different types of contractual arrangements that might allow some flexibility for people. My HR colleagues might be raising concerns about some of these. For example, we want to explore the option of somebody coming to work for four years but spreading his or her salary over five years so that he or she has an option of travel. It costs the HSE four years' worth of salary for four years' worth of work but it gives somebody options in terms of, maybe, travelling with some income and the job security of having a post to come back to. We are exploring all of those kinds of opportunities and incentives, particularly mindful of a young cohort of people who would be interested in those kinds of things. It is not only a pipeline issue. There are other things we are also looking to do.

In terms of the AON guidance, perhaps Professor MacLachlan would like to comment on that.