Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 May 2014
61. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 9 April 2014, if he will provide the specific peer reviewed research that supports and demonstrates the effectiveness of the treatment and education of autistic communication handicapped children approach; and if more than one specific piece of research was used as reference, if he will provide a list of same. [19820/14]
View answerAs I outlined to the Deputy previously in a response to a Parliamentary Question of 9 April 2014, there is not an individual specific piece of research that supports and demonstrates the effectiveness of any one approach to the education of children with autism or my Department's child–centred policy on the education of children with special educational needs including autism.
My Department's child-centred policy is based on advice received from NEPS; the Inspectorate and the report of the Irish Task Force on Autism and takes full account of advice from a range of international experts on autism. The various contributors who have informed this policy and a list of their research are too numerous to mention but the Deputy may wish to note that the Task Force for Autism Report is available on my Department's website and includes a detailed bibliography.
As the Deputy is aware the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is currently preparing Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The NCSE has advised my Department that the Policy Advice will be delivered in the spring of 2015 and will draw upon findings gathered from an extensive consultation process which has already commenced.
I expect that the NCSE final report will reflect the broadest possible range of views and provide recommendations which will assist the development of policy for future years.
