Mr. Bernard O'Regan:

On the numbers of children in a residential service and the impact, our policy direction is to have no more than four people in a residential service. That is part of the decongregation plan for adult services and a framework we try to use. All our experience shows that bringing people together who have complex needs requires a lot of care and attention. There will be instances where some people cannot tolerate sharing with three or four others. We have to be adaptable and sensitive to how we support people properly. There is a risk, for example, that children or young people who are in some kind of individualised support arrangement may become isolated and disconnected. There is continuous work to be done to make sure the numbers of children who are sharing are carefully thought out. We have two rules that we encourage providers, including ourselves, to use around compatibility testing. Bringing young people, or anyone, together can look very good on paper but in reality when people have to share a space together, it may not always work out. It is about having the flexibility and adaptability to respond to that.

The Deputy asked about the disability action plan. My understanding is that the plan was approved by the Cabinet earlier this year and the Department is intent on publishing it. I have been part of meetings held over the last week that are moving it towards publication. I do not know what engagement there has been with the Departments of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. I am just not aware of that but I know the intention is to publish the plan.