Mr. Brian O'Donnell:

No, I have not. The only thing we have is a recorded message by Mr. Tony O'Brien, the director general of the HSE, saying he and the HSE are not unsympathetic regarding the situation but that it has not been funded.

On the second question regarding the impact and scale, Senator Dolan and Mr. Bell have already alluded to the significant attrition rate owing to the debacle over section 39 organisations. We estimate a rate of attrition of 17% in the intellectual disability sector. This significantly affects its ability to provide essential services.

I was asked about the outlook. In the absence of a resolution to this issue, it is only going to get worse. Senator Dolan alluded to the fact that there is a natural progression in that if one can find similar employment in an organisation that offers better terms and conditions, it is only natural to be attracted to it. In the absence of any action on this, I can only see the circumstances becoming much worse. Ultimately, the main concern for everyone in the room is people with disabilities and their families. They will feel the effects considerably. That is a matter of distress and upset to everybody concerned.