Recent judicial cases have highlighted the State's failure over many years to make adequate educational provision for some children with special needs. As Minister for Education and Science, it is my intention to remedy these deficiencies.
The Deputy will be aware that I have already announced a range of new measures to enhance the quality and range of special education services available to children with autism. The measures in question include a doubling of the level of special needs assistant support provided to each special class catering for children with autism.
In the case of the special class catering for the children in question, the increase in the level of special needs assistant support will mean that the class, which is catering for five pupils, will have the support of three special needs assistants, in addition to the class teacher.
My Department has also recently sanctioned home tuition hours to assist one of the pupils with a home based applied behaviour analysis programme and a second application for such support is currently being considered.
The issue of teacher training was also raised in the submission to which the Deputy refers. In this connection I would point out that arrangements have been made through the special education unit at St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, and Birmingham university, for the delivery of specialist training for teachers of children with autism. Training for 25 such teachers will commence in January 2001 and my department is finalising arrangements for a further expansion of the training programme to include a greater number of teachers.
The submission also made reference to the role of the applied behaviour analysis approach in the education of children with autism. The appropriateness of this model of response is one of the issues currently being considered by the task force on autism, which I recently established and which I have requested to report to me within three months.
The absence of adequate therapeutic support services for the children in question was also raised in the submission. Responsibility for the delivery of such services rests with the health authorities. However, I have asked my Department to raise the concerns expressed with the relevant health authority with a view to ensuring that the required services are made available.
