Ms Marion Meany:

The data is out of date but there is a huge onus on people with disabilities to actively help in that data collection. In 2000, we set up a physical and sensory disability database, one of the component parts of which is personal assistant services. When I reviewed the database to determine the number of people who had recorded a need for the service, or anticipated need over the following five years, there was very little data in this regard. We do not have the same ownership of the physical and sensory disability database as we do of the intellectual disability database. Our colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are of the view that we need this evidence. Every year we do include data to the best of our knowledge but Dr. McCarthy is correct that data is out of date. We cannot have information unless we are provided with it. If everyone with a disability that has a need for a personal assistant service registered that need on a database we would have a huge piece of information available to us immediately. There is nothing to stop people doing this. People need to take ownership and help us to do this piece of work. This does not require investment as the database is already in place.