Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 4

Written Answers. - Autism Services.

Willie Penrose

Question:

269 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children the special psychological services, if any, available to autistic children within the Midland Health Board area and particularly for those children residing in County Westmeath; the plans, if any, he has to provide these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4415/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The provision of services to children with autism in the midland area is, in the first instance, the responsibility of the Midland Health Board. Special psychological services for children are provided by the Sisters of Chairty of Jesus and Mary, on behalf of the board.

Psychological services to children up to four years of age, including children in Westmeath, are provided by the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary, in conjunction with the Midland Health Board's early childhood services team, comprising a psychologist, area medical officer, speech and language therapist and counselling nurse.

Children with autism who also have a mental handicap and who attend special schools, including St. Hilda's Athlone; St. Mary's, Delvin and St. Brigid's, Mullingar are seen by the Sisters of Charity Psychological Services. Children with autism only are seen by the board's child psychiatric team.

Responsibility for the provision of routine educational psychological assessments for school children is a matter in the first instance for the Department of Education and Science. The Minister for Education and Science is establishing a national educational psychological service to provide services for all primary and secondary schools. Fifteen additional psychologists were appointed last year. The development of this service will also assist the health funded psychological services to focus more closely the resources available to them on the areas of assessment and therapeutic treatment.

This year I was pleased to be in a position to provide additional funding of £12 million, with a full year cost of £18 million in 2000, for the further development of new services in line with the needs identified in the "Assessment of Need for Services to Persons with a Mental Handicap – 1997-2001".

Of this additional funding, £730,000 has been allocated to the Midland Health Board, with a full year cost of £1,075,000 in 2000. The current year's figure includes £50,000 which has been specifically allocated for the provision of health related services, including psychological services, to children with autism, with a full year cost of £150,000 in 2000. Details of the precise services to be put in place in the midland region from this additional funding and the individuals who will benefit from these services are being agreed by the board's regional co-ordinating committee.