Vol. 490 No. 7
177 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will meet with a delegation from the parents' association of Ballyowen Meadows school, Beechpark, Stillorgan, County Dublin, to discuss the future operation and development of the special school for autistic children; and if he will meet with the association in conjunction with representatives of the Eastern Health Board. [11256/98]
178 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will ensure that adequate funding is provided to refurbish Ballyowen Meadows and Setanta special schools at Beechpark, Stillorgan, County Dublin. [11258/98]
179 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will have arrangements made to purchase the Beechpark Centre at Stillorgan, County Dublin which currently houses Ballyowen Meadows and Setanta schools which cater for 36 children with autism and related disorders; and the negotiations, if any, held to date with the Daughters of the Cross order of nuns with a view to purchasing Beechpark. [11259/98]
180 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the report drawn up by the Eastern Regional Health Authority in 1995 regarding services for persons with autism and a subsequent report submitted to the Eastern Regional Health Authority in 1997 in relation to the proposals to establish an autism centre at Beechpark, Stillorgan, County Dublin; if he has considered the contents of these; and if he will accept the recommendations of these reports. [11260/98]
181 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide funding to enable the refurbishment of the classrooms under the Setanta special school at Beechpark, Stillorgan, County Dublin; if he will also provide funding for refurbishment of the building at the back of Setanta for pre-school, the clinical staff training rooms and staff rooms; and if funding will be provided for the play area restoration between both buildings. [11261/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 177, 178, 179, 180 and 181 together.
The provision of services in the two schools located on the Beechpark campus is primarily a matter for the Department of Education and Science. The Eastern Health Board provides assessment and certain other health related support services, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Science, for the children attending the schools and for other children with autism on an outreach basis.
The 1995 document referred to by the Deputy sets out the Eastern Health Board's proposals for the development of its autism services. Discussions are ongoing between officials of my Department and the board in relation to the further development of services for persons with autism in the Eastern Health Board region in line with the proposals submitted by the board and my Department's Policy Document on Services to Persons with Autism. I recently approved additional funding to enable the board to enhance the level of assessment and outreach services provided for children with autism.
