Vol. 481 No. 3
137 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the funding, if any, which was provided for the education and training of autistic children and people in County Mayo for each of the years from 1995 to date in 1997. [15997/97]
Children with autism have access to a range of educational support services. The precise nature of the support provided will depend on the severity of the condition in each individual case.
In some cases, children with mild features of autism are educated in ordinary schools with the support, where necessary, of remedial or resource teachers. Children with more serious needs have traditionally been catered for in a number of special schools including schools dedicated to children with mental handicap and schools for children with emotional/behaviourial disorders.
The following special educational supports are provided at present in County Mayo: two special schools for children with mild mental handicap; two special schools for children with moderate mental handicap; three special classes for mildly mentally handicapped children in mainstream national schools; 33 remedial teachers, who provide a service to 112 national schools; and three resource teachers, who provide a service to 14 national schools.
