Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 1997

Vol. 480 No. 6

Written Answers - Autism Services.

Tony Gregory

Question:

251 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health and Children if a database will be set up for autism to include children, young adults and adults with individual diagnosis; the number, if any, of the nine recommendations of the 1994 report currently being implemented; if so, the timescale involved; the number of people with autism currently in psychiatric hospitals here; and if families will be consulted on all aspects of treatment, placement and so on. [14357/97]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen):

The following progress is being made on the implementation of the recommendations contained in my Department's policy document on Services to Persons with Autism:

The National Intellectual Disability Database, which was launched this year, collects information on the needs of persons with autism. This information is supplemented locally by health boards as part of their service planning for autism services.

The majority of persons with autism avail of the generic mental handicap services which have been substantially developed in recent years. Specialist services, which may be required, are being developed with services most recently developed in the Eastern, North-Eastern, Southern and Western Health Boards. The health boards' development plans for the mental handicap services include plans for the development of autism services.

The Department of Education has put in place two pilot initiatives in Dublin and in Limerick for children with autism.

In relation to research, my Department has made funding available to the Irish Society for Autism for research into the mortality rate and causes of mortality in persons with autism.

In relation to the recommendation on staff training, my Department provided funding in 1997 for a series of training seminars for frontline staff working with people with autism.

My Department will continue to pursue the development of these services with the health boards, the voluntary mental handicap agencies and the Department of Education as part of the implementation of "Services to Persons with a Mental Handicap - An Assessment of Need 1997-2001".

My Department will continue to implement the programme to transfer persons with a mental handicap, including those with autism, from psychiatric hospitals and other unsuitable placements to more appropriate care settings.

Details of the service developments to be put in place in each health board region from any additional funding which may be made available are agreed by the regional mental handicap co-ordinating committees in line with the priority needs which have been identified for each region. Representatives of parents and families are included in the membership of these committees. Individual parents and families would be involved in the preparation and implementation of personalised care and educational programmes for their family members.