Gillian Toole (Meath East, Independent)

I have some follow-up questions. It is fantastic to hear about the single front door. Could the witnesses elaborate on how that will be accessed and advertised? I appreciate it is a couple of months away, but it is important that we are prepared.

I raise alternative respite. The benefits of respite are fantastic. I have received feedback from parents in Meath regarding access to what they would consider alternative respite. I have seen the benefits. It includes equine therapy, drama and art therapy. They are low-time interventions and are relatively low-cost compared with overnight care, but are hugely beneficial. How can families access them? How can we be involved in the process in terms of channelling people and being signposts?

My next question relates to personalised budgets. I note the word "pilot" has been used. As far as I am aware from some families with whom I have worked in my other role as a pharmacist and linking people up, the pilot may have been in existence for five to six years. When will it be mainstreamed? The approaches and supports are different for people with different needs and that is where the personalised budgets would be hugely beneficial.

I mentioned the pilot schemes, namely, tiny talk, talking buddies, etc. These interventions could be digitised through the likes of Maynooth and UCD.

I referenced the University of Limerick's POTTS programme for those with dyspraxia earlier. Might they be considered or are they in the pipeline? I also asked about the why of it. Demand is increasing. What research is the HSE involved in? Does it link with other researchers to determine, leaving aside genetic based reasons, the why of it? Is anything happening in that space?

On recruitment and cross-linking with therapy systems, an informal meeting is taking place between an education and training board, ETB, and a CDNT in my area to look at opportunities for work experience in respect of Dunboyne College of Further Education, which provides post-leaving certificate courses in OT and SLT of the gateway variety. Is that something the HSE is looking at or would consider? It would get students who are committed or who come from particular family backgrounds, which would mean that the vocational piece would be there.

I go back to the queries I had about Meath for follow-up. Would it be possible, at Mr. Gloster's convenience, to get the figures for 2019 and 2024-25 in relation to whole-time equivalent, WTE, posts for OT, SLT and psychology.

By way of feedback, a parent contacted me this morning whose child's AON has been completed. The third one is being submitted to primary care in Meath. The first two were lost. That may be a system failure, but I mention it to raise a flag.