Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
484. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the Autism Innovation Strategy; the timeframe for the publication of the Autism Innovation Strategy; and if he has plans to establish a committee or monitoring group featuring autistic people to participate in monitoring the Autism Innovation Strategy. [51937/23]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to action on autism. The development of a new national autism strategy, the Autism Innovation Strategy, is currently underway and I expect to be in a position to publish a draft strategy text early next year. This is an important priority for me as Minister of State.
The Autism Innovation Strategy will identify ways to address the bespoke challenges and barriers faced by autistic people and provide the building blocks for a more autism-inclusive society. It will seek to provide for better mainstream understanding and accommodation of the needs of autistic people. The strategy will be cross-Government in nature and will take a holistic approach towards addressing these challenges in a way that complements and aligns with wider action on disability.
Development of the strategy is currently at an advanced stage with drafting of the strategy being finalised at present. This follows several months of engagements right across Government to agree a suite of clear, simple actions that can address gaps in existing supports and services for autistic people within an 18 month timeframe. This process has included careful consideration of the recommendations contained in the final report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism and the findings of a public consultation held in 2022.
I have been very clear that I want the autistic community to be at the centre of the development process of the Strategy. This has included the appointment of the Autism Innovation Strategy Oversight and Advisory Group, following an open application process.
This group, which is majority neurodivergent, will play a key role in monitoring implementation of the strategy, and in providing constructive advice based on the lived experience and expertise of group members.
The group was formally appointed and met for the first time in December 2022 and subsequently in April 2023. I was delighted to chair these meetings. Further meetings will be arranged in the near future.
Once drafting of the strategy is complete, there will be a further public consultation prior to the formal adoption of the Autism Innovation Strategy. It intended that implementation of the strategy will begin in early 2024 and that is the clear focus of work at present.
