John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

How often do the witnesses have meetings with Government Departments? I presume they meet Ministers and so on. How do they feel about that engagement? Are the doors to those offices open to them to be listened to and to have their experiences taken on board - or not? I include in that the funding for both organisations and the changes they want to see. Are the Departments open to listening to what the witnesses have to say to them?