Gillian Toole (Meath East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for meeting the committee and the team for providing us with the background information for today. I will try not to duplicate what colleagues have asked. Do the witnesses think the National Disability Authority has adequate resources to carry out its very busy and expanding role and tasks adequately? Regarding universal design, does the National Disability Authority advise local authority planners that living within is different from the visiting approach? Is employment in section 38 organisations, for example, the National Learning Network and Prosper, etc., taken into consideration for review and feedback? I think best practice in employment was already asked about.

On the children's disability network teams, are there similar arrangements in other European areas? Where is the best practice? Does the authority get involved in financial matters, for example, financial advice for the resourcing of CDNTs? There has been a personalised budget pilot for six or seven years yet each person with a disability has different needs. Will the witnesses comment on that if relevant? Given waiting lists for assessment of need and the appropriateness of same, what emergency actions might be possible with the current cohort and staffing levels? Every delay is damage - I apologise for my bluntness - to a child or teenager.