Dr. Aoife O'Donohue:

To respond to that, the HSE is responsive to all options and all therapeutic input and anything the child wishes to have or, be that an adult, regarding respite. Regarding equine therapy, we are engaging with a number of different programmes across the country. Sometimes it is not just about going to the equine, it is about the transport of the child, the collection of the child and having that enhanced support. We are looking at that. It needs to be enhanced and grown but we are actively engaging in respect of a number of different therapies.

Regarding the ETBs and the expansion of knowledge, any opportunity we have to expand knowledge with anyone regarding how to respond to children and adults with a disability and additional needs is something we are committed to. We have engaged with the GAA for the Cúl Camps over the summer. How can we partner with it and use the knowledge we have and the model it has? It is about the experience of the child with additional needs in those camps but it is also the knowledge that those coaches will grow, develop and hopefully be the staff of the future if they get an opportunity to do that.