Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
492. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of establishing a one-stop-shop where autistic people and their families and carers can receive information and link in with services that they require. [51945/23]
View answerThe Government is committed to better meeting the needs of autistic people and their families in the State. In the context of the development of the Autism Innovation Strategy, work is underway to explore methods of providing enhanced information, signposting of information, and supports regarding autism for autistic people and their families.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to action on autism. The development of a new national strategy, the Autism Innovation Strategy, is currently underway. This is an important priority for me as Minister of State.
The Autism Innovation Strategy will provide a framework for cross-Government action on autism, which is designed to complement and enhance existing policy frameworks. It will seek to provide for better mainstream understanding and accommodation of the needs of Autistic people across the public system. It will also seek to promote a more holistic and coordinated approach to services and supports for autistic people in the State.
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, both of which included considerations around improved information on autism.
While actions in the strategy, and the costs of delivering such actions, are still being finalised at present, it is anticipated that actions will be advanced under the strategy to improve information about autism and coordination between different services.
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.
