Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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374. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of advocates employed in the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities; the full year cost of running the service; the estimated full year cost in 2017 of increasing the number of advocates by 5%, 10% , 15% and 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20729/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) provides a free, independent, confidential, issues-based representative advocacy service that works exclusively for the person using the service and adheres to the highest professional standards. The service has a particular remit for people who are isolated from their community and services, have communication differences, are inappropriately accommodated, live in residential services, attend day services and have limited informal or natural supports.

NAS is fully funded and supported by the Citizens Information Board which has a mandate under the Citizens Information Act 2007 to provide advocacy for people with disabilities.

The National Advocacy Service for people with Disabilities operates with the following staff:-

- National Manager

-4 Regional Managers

-5 Administrators

-28 Advocates

-7 Senior Advocates

The NAS operational grant from the Citizens Information Board for 2016 is €3,103,045.

The table below shows the estimated budget requirement for 2017, if the number of advocates (including senior advocates), were to be increased by the percentages indicated. These figures include estimated overheads (rent, heating, lighting) based on current costs, together with salaries based on an average of the salary points for both roles (advocate and senior advocates). However, the figures do not include any increase that may be necessary in administration or managerial staffing costs.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.