Dr. Aideen Hartney:

We know the figures on the reasonable accommodation fund indicate that it is underspent a lot of the time. There is a sense that it is not meeting the needs it was established for. We are very much looking forward to seeing what the Department decides on the basis of the review.

Coming back to that idea of transition supports and leading from the excellent work done at the preschool age, there is also good work and there are good support networks in place at primary school level and onwards into secondary school level. It is the bridging and, as Ms Shakespeare has said, taking that through to other levels. I would also advise the committee that there is a cross-departmental group working on that transitions piece at the moment and it does have all the different Departments at the table. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is represented for the preschool side of things and the equality dimension. The Department of Education is present for primary and secondary years and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is there for the next phase. The Department of Social Protection is there in respect of what comes next and how it works together. That group's work is ongoing but it is a recognition of that cross-departmental piece that has been missing to date. It is a space to watch and we very much look forward to what comes from it.