Ms Yvonne O'Neill:

The Deputy has articulated that the assessment process in itself was an underlying cause of the delay which was not acceptable for any of us in the provision of disability services. Back in 2021, we changed to a level of assessment of need which allowed us to see more children more quickly. That assessment process was then challenged. It allowed us between 2020 and 2021 to reduce the waiting list down from 6,500 to less than 2,500. Unfortunately, because of the High Court decision and the move back to the assessment in its fullest extent, that waiting list has gone up again substantially.