asked the Minister for Health the number of autistic children in (a) Dublin city and (b) the rest of the country; and the number of these who are either partially or totally maintained by public funds.
46.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Autistic Children.
45.
asked the Minister for Health if any assistance is made available by his Department to parents who must care for, treat and maintain autistic children and, if so, if he will state the nature and extent of such assistance.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 46 together.
I have indicated, in reply to a previous question in this matter, that there is no generally accepted definition of autism in children and while the term is used to describe a particular illness it is also used to cover a number of different mental illnesses of childhood. At present statistics of the total number of children in this country in need of psychiatric care are not available, and indeed reliable statistics are not available for any country.
The only residential unit in the country specifically provided for the treatment of mentally ill children, including autistic children, is that at St. Loman's Hospital, Ballyowen, County Dublin. The work of this unit is complemented by a day centre for emotionally disturbed children at St. Kevin's Hospital, Dublin. Of the 30 children being cared for in St. Loman's Hospital, ten are from Dublin city or county and 20 are from areas outside Dublin. All of these children except one are either partically or totally maintained by public funds. There are twenty-two children attending the day centre at St. Kevin's. Charges are made by the Dublin Health Authority in the case of a number of these children, but in no instance does the charge represent the full cost of treatment. I may add that there are plans to provide two additional units—one in Dublin and one in Cork.
A number of mentally ill children are treated in district mental hospitals and there may be a few such children cared for in private institutions. I have not information about charges in these cases but I would say that few, if any, of the parents with children in district mental hospitals would be paying the full cost of treatment for their children.
In his second question I assume the Deputy has in mind the mentally ill children, including autistic children, who are cared for by their parents at home. There is no special scheme of financial or other assistance for such children administered by my Department but the ordinary local health authority services, including psychiatric services, are available to these children.
Did I understand the Minister to say that some payment is made by parents of children requiring treatment?
In some cases, yes.
Under the Mental Treatment Act, should they not get free treatment? I think they are entitled to it?
The vast majority do get free treatment.
No, all of them are entitled to free treatment under the Mental Treatment Act.
I do not think that is so.
Would the Minister look into it?
Yes.