Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
529. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions he has taken, or if he has plans to recognise the work of community groups that support autistic people by establishing a distinct funding stream to develop their work and to facilitate the establishment of new autism community groups across the country; and the estimated cost of undertaking this measure. [52430/23]
View answerAs Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Disability, I am committed to supporting the full inclusion, participation and empowerment of adults and young people with disabilities, including but not limited to autism, in our community.
My Department does, and will continue to, provide financial supports for a range of disability groups under initiatives such as the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund (DPAF).
In October 2021, I was delighted to launch a new annual Disability Participation and Awareness Fund (DPAF). The value of the Fund was €2.5m in 2021, and €3m in the most recent call, with further iterations of the Fund planned. The purpose of DPAF is to provide funding to support the participation of people with disabilities in local activities and to remove barriers to community involvement. Through DPAF, funding has been provided for a number of projects that aim to support people with disabilities, including those with autism and neurodiversity, to participate and engage more fully in their local communities.
My Department also supports the Disability Participation and Consultation Network (DPCN) through grant funding to five organisations for the purposes of building capacity among the disability community in Ireland. Funding has been provided to AsIAm in this regard with the aim of reaching widely across the community of autistic people, including young people and adults, with the specific aim of supporting capacity building through the Network. Through the support and capacity building programmes delivered to date, this funding has contributed to the development of self-advocacy skills.
In addition, where bespoke and unmet needs arise in the specific context of autism, such needs are being considered in the development of the Autism Innovation Strategy. Development of the Autism Innovation 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.
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.
