Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Coming so late in to the debate, I note that many of the issues have been addressed. I will speak to Green Party members about that straw man proposal on the pay-related benefit this evening and I will steal Mr. Hession's IKEA metaphor as it is a good way of explaining what there is. I will begin with a comment on the figures Mr. Hession gave us regarding the 29,000-odd applications. I think he said that 2,348 of those were subsequently awarded by appeals officers. In one sense that goes to the crux of an issue for an autistic person. That process will be difficult. The process to make the initial application will be difficult. Then the process of engaging in an appeal will be difficult as well. There are steps involved in that. All of our offices have dealt with appeals in one way, shape or form. It is just additional barriers and I worry about that. There is maybe not a question in that but I did want to mention it.

Deputy Tully hit the nail on the head in terms of accessibility. I would like to know whether the application processes for the different payments available through the Department of Social Protection have been stress-tested with the likes of AsIAm. I think Mr. Hession referenced that they have been.

Have staff at Intreo offices been given autism-specific training? There are often communication barriers and if people are aware of the communication barriers, there can be positive interventions.

The next issue I want to drill down into a little, and I may pose additional questions but I will spend a little time on this, is around the designated employment personal advisers and the employability scheme. Both of these were mentioned in the opening statement. Are those one and the same or are they separate? Are the designated employment personal advisers in the employability scheme or are they Department officials?