Dr. Aideen Hartney:

I thank the Deputy. No, we have not been asked directly by the Government to advise on the assessment of need situation. The process is being led out by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. We anticipate that we will engage with it, as we do with regard to all areas it has in its remit, when it establishes working groups or committees to look at this.

Our advice as Dr. Tamming has been saying, is that the backlog needs to be cleared. It is essential that an assessment of need process delivers against the purposes for which it was established. At present there is a disconnect between what is going on and what is required for access to educational supports versus health and social care supports. Our advice would be on resolving some of this. We are very conscious that this is a statutory entitlement for families and children. It is probably essential that the statutory obligation is delivered on and, hence, the additional money in the budget. Our advice would be in this direction when we develop it.