Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

That is what is important and the Government is working through that process. It will intensify its efforts and will be obliged to take a serious look at how things are done in the future and how one can make people with disabilities more independent. We must work through that process collectively and must ensure this happens. I will keep a very close eye on it this year and am being briefed on a weekly basis. Things can happen such as, for instance, collaboration on back-office processes and not the front-line stuff. Equally, I note that disability is not a poor service and enormous amounts of money are being spent on disability. I believe it can be done differently and a better service can be provided. I acknowledge a point comes at which one is able to do less with less. I am not foolish enough to believe such a point will not be reached, although I hope not. However, a different service must be delivered that will be more beneficial to people with disabilities and their families.

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