Special Educational Needs.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 June 2004

Tuesday, 22 June 2004

Questions (174)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

165 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Science the current status of the proposed high support centre for children with autism in Middletown, County Armagh, launched jointly by the then Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Woods, and the then Northern Assembly Minister for Education, Mr. Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA; the funding that has been committed by both Governments; the person that actually owns the property; and the person that is primarily tasked with its resourcing and implementation. [18615/04]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

The centre in question is the former St. Joseph's Adolescent Centre owned by the St. Louis Order. It is intended that the centre will be purchased in the near future and operated on a joint North-South basis to serve the needs of children and young persons with autism in both jurisdictions. The matter is being progressed jointly by my Department and the Department of Education in Northern Ireland and the costs involved will be shared on an equal basis. The purchase cost is £3 million sterling. Precise details of the annual operating costs will not be available until final decisions have been taken on the level of staffing and specialist inputs required. Proposals for the centre envisage a learning support service, an educational assessment service, a training and advisory service and an autism research, dissemination and information service.