Vol. 475 No. 1
199 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Education if any official from her Department has visited the Higashi School for autistic children, Boston, United States of America; if she intends to send personnel from Ireland to be trained at this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4205/97]
203 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Education the number of children defined as autistic by her Department; the number of autistic children receiving specialist education; if she has satisfied herself with the level of the facilities available to all autistic children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4209/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 203 together.
No official from my Department has visited the school referred to by the Deputy. I have no plans to send personnel from Ireland to be trained at the school in question.
My Department does not have statistics available on the number of children diagnosed as being autistic. Diagnostic services are the responsibility of the relevant health authorities. It should also be noted that the severity of the autism involved in each individual case will have a major bearing on the nature of the educational supports required. In some cases, children with some features of autism are capable of being educated in ordinary schools with the support, where necessary, of remedial, resource or visiting teachers. Children with more serious needs have traditionally been catered for in a number of special schools dedicated to children with emotional disturbance.
In the 1995-6 school year, I established a pilot programme of special education services for children with autism. Under this programme, a number of special classes dedicated specifically to the educational needs of children with autism are now in operation. These classes are attached to special schools located in Beechpark, Stillorgan, County Dublin, and Cratloe national school, Ennis, County Clare. A further special class catering for children with autism was established at St. Brigid's special school, Dundalk, County Louth, in the 1996-7 school year. Each of these classes caters for a maximum of seven children.
