Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There were a few questions I wanted to ask but most of them have been asked by our wide ranging committee.

I thank the witnesses for all the work they do and for coming in here with a very detailed submission of the work they do. I heard Ability West is moving up towards Roscommon, Sligo, Donegal and Leitrim as well. That might bring in my constituency. I also thank Delta Centre and the National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers.

The new directions policy seems to be reasonably well received and seems to have made a difference. The witnesses talk about greater overall funding and streamlined funding, but we hear that the section 39 agencies are a challenge and that those whom the witnesses represent find it very difficult to compete with other sectors. This issue has raised its head not just here but across the board, especially with what is supposed to be full employment. It is an area we in the Government need to address. The witnesses have highlighted the inadequacies of the funding and the mechanisms in place.

As I said, a lot of the areas have been dealt with. Will the witnesses discuss their mechanisms and structures used to ensure meaningful consultation and all decisions and policies that affect their service users? How do they disability-proof their consultations which take place internal to their organisations?

I understand that there are advocacy groups but, as regards the complaints procedures, if local procedures are not working, how are those issues brought forward to an independent arbiter? Will the witnesses discuss the complaints procedures?

Finally, we heard that a lot of the recent Government report found that closures of schools and services during Covid-19 had a predominantly negative effect on individual services. How are the witnesses addressing those after Covid-19? I think it was Mr. Meany who said that many people have decided not to come into the services and the organisations are trying to deliver the service at home. What are the challenges in that regard, and how successful have the organisations been in restructuring a lot of these services after Covid-19?