Ms Joanne Condon:

With 250 on our waiting list, the average caseload for an advocate, given the complexity and the types of issues they deal with, is approximately 20. That will give a ballpark figure for what will be required to address the immediate waiting list that exists. There is also the growth in the complexity of the issues and their duration. As Ms Byrne stated in the context of the example of somebody she has supported, it has taken 12 years to move. We cannot walk away from people. Although ours is an issue-based service and the idea is we are there as a short-term support to help people address the barriers and overcome them, the reality is that is taking longer and longer and is more complex. It is difficult but the concern is that those who have the least voice are being further marginalised, with even fewer rights, by not being able to access advocacy.

Furthermore, we have a remit for those living in residential services who do not communicate verbally. If they live in a service that does not welcome advocacy - I am sad to say that is still the case in certain places where we do not have co-operation or inquiries coming into our service despite an absolute need for it in certain places - we would like to be able to get to those people by having boots on the ground and being able to identify where they require advocacy support, because they are not going to be able to pick up the phone to us or send a form to us. That is compromised as well by our waiting lists because we simply do not have the staff hours to be able to put boots on the ground to find those people. That is a considerable concern.