I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue on the Adjournment. I tried previously but failed. There are three services in Kerry dealing with the needs of autistic children. The Brothers of Charity have a special service in Tralee that treats cases from diagnosis until five years and 11 months.
They operate in Tralee, Listowel and Killarney. In St. John's national school, Balloonagh, Tralee, a mainstream primary school for girls, there is one class for autistic children in which two pupils are enrolled.
Nano Nagle special school in Listowel caters for the moderately to severely mentally handicapped. It has 65 pupils, all of whom have moderate or severe degrees of mental handicap and some of whom have been diagnosed as autistic. For the past year one class of six autistic children has been housed in a portacabin to the rear of the school. There is a proposal to build two classrooms, but this is inadequate. At least four are required for classes of six pupils each. The reason for this is that the incidence of autism in County Kerry is increasing. The children range in age from six to 18 years and it will be impossible, from an educational point of view, to accommodate them in just two classrooms. Architects from the Department were on site yesterday and informed the board of management that it will be at least three years before the two classrooms are provided. Four classes should be provided as soon as possible. I cannot see any reason this cannot happen before three years are up. It should be quite simple to design and build them.
A commitment was given to draw up a database of the number of people affected by autism in County Kerry. That has not happened and there are no clear statistics available to indicate the number with autism. I would like the Minister of State to indicate what is happening. There are 30 autistic adults at St. Finian's in Killarney and St. Mary of the Angels in Beaufort and we should look at services for them as well as at those for children. They are not suitable places for people with autism for whom County Kerry needs a centre. The task force on autism, established four years ago, has not reported and I would like the Minister of State to say when its final report is to be published.
I speak on behalf of a number of very concerned parents. Services in County Kerry are inadequate and probably inferior to those in every other county. I would like the Minister of State to offer the parents concerned some hope at least.