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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2002

Vol. 556 No. 3

Written Answers. - Autism Services.

Richard Bruton

Question:

500 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the development plans which he is preparing for the provision of suitable education and support services for persons aged 18 and over with autism; the extent of the additional provision which is necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19872/02]

Children with autism are entitled to participate in the school system until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th birthday. Within the school system, such children are generally catered for in special dedicated classes. Each class operates at a maximum pupil teacher ratio of 6:1 and each class has the support of two special needs assistants. Additional special needs assistant support can be provided where deemed necessary on the basis of professionally assessed needs. In excess of 90 such classes have been established to date. Children with autism also attend school on a fully integrated basis with the support of the resource teacher and/or special needs assistant services.

On leaving the school system, young adults with autism can access a range of services, including mainstream training and placement services and rehabilitative or other services provided by or on behalf of the health boards. Significant additional funding was provided by the Government in recent years for services to persons with autism and those with an intellectual disability. This investment facilitated the development of a range of services including residential, respite, day and home support services, health related support services for children and specialist support services. Further additional revenue funding of €25 million was provided in 2002 to continue the expansion of these services. My Department is also working with the health boards to improve the level of information available on the needs of this group, including the development of an information system which will provide specific information on the needs of persons with autism, similar to that provided by the national intellectual disability database.
The Task Force on Autism, which was established by the Department of Education and Science, has put forward a range of recommendations ranging from measures aimed at identifying prevalence rates, through issues relating to diagnosis and assessment, the centrality of the role of parents, the required models of education and health care services, the need for specialist training for those involved in service provision, to structural, constitutional and policy issues. The needs of persons in the age group identified by the Deputy are included in these recommendations.
The scope of the task force's recommendations is such as to require a multifaceted response involving educational and health care inputs. The task force's recommendations are currently being considered by both Departments.
My colleague the Minister for Education and Science will also be bringing forward legislation, based on the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2002, as soon as possible to copperfasten the rights and entitlements of persons with disabilities, including persons with autism.
I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to the ongoing development of services for persons with autism as outlined in the programme for Government.
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