Ms Angela O'Neill:

I will first add to Mr. O'Regan's comments on recruitment of staff. One of our huge issues is the recruitment pool of available staff. That is outside of our control but there is certainly a piece of work required with third level institutions around expanding the number of training places. That will not deliver next year or the year after. It will be a few years down the road. There also could not be an instant doubling of college places for speech and language therapists or for physical therapists. There is a requirement during those training courses to give clinical placements, which of course is an additional demand on existing staff. There needs to be a gradual increase in the number of college places available for the various disciplines needed in our CDNTs. That is outside of our control, but it is certainly something that needs to be done.

On the assessment piece, the Deputy specifically referenced CHO 9. That CHO has a very high level of applications for assessment of need. It obviously has a large population but the number of applications is very high. Over the past while, they have done phenomenal work providing those assessments of needs. Things have got better there; not cured by any means but things have got better. However, that is at a cost. Every reduction in the assessment of need waiting list happening in CHO 9 means less intervention being provided. That is difficult for families but it is also difficult for staff. It is very difficult to be constantly focused on assessment, particularly when it is assessment to meet the legislative piece, as opposed to what we would see as assessing children to decide what intervention is required next. It has a knock-on effect on our ability to retain staff. It is a vicious circle. We have said it in front of this committee before, probably like a broken record, but the Disability Act needs to be reviewed. Families want intervention. We want to give intervention and the continued focus on assessment and meeting our legislative obligations around that is not necessarily delivering for families.