Vol. 562 No. 2
215 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding he has allocated for the provision of autism services to the North-Eastern Heath Board; the reports or research he has commissioned on autism here; if there is a specific national strategy to assists parents of autistic children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5876/03]
Additional revenue funding amounting to €7.554 million was allocated to the North-Eastern Health Board between 2000 and 2002 in respect of the development of services to persons with autism and those with an intellectual disability. Additional funding amounting to €1.120 million was allocated in 2003, €0.320 million to further enhance the health related support services for children with an intellectual disability or autism and €0.800 million to meet the full year costs associated with the 2002 development programme. The specific allocation of this funding to individual projects or services, within the guidelines issued by my Department, is the responsibility of the North-Eastern Health Board. The overall national strategy in relation to the development of services for people with disabilities, including those with autism, has been to put in place services which support the identified needs of this population group, including residential, respite, day, home support and therapy and other health related support services.
In addition to the provision of additional funding for new and existing services, my Department has also undertaken a number of initiatives to increase the availability of various allied health professionals, in particular speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.
Over the past number of years, as part of the overall development of services for persons with autism, the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority have been obtaining additional information on the needs of this group in their regions and in particular in relation to those who require or who will require specialist services. My Department is working with the health boards to establish an information system which will provide accurate data on the numbers of persons with autism and their service needs.
Funding amounting to €190,000, to be paid over a three year period, has been made available by the Department to the Health Research Board in respect of research into autism and its possible links with gastrointestinal dysfunction. The grant has been awarded to a team led by Professor John O'Leary of the Coombe Hospital. The other members of the team are Professor Colm O'Morain – Tallaght Hospital and Trinity College, Professor Michael Fitzgerald – Tallaght Hospital and Trinity College, Dr. Martin Buckley – Tallaght Hospital, and Dr. Orla Shiels – Trinity College.
Gastrointestinal problems have been reported in children with autism. An association between malabsorption and behavioural problems has been suggested in these children. Professor O'Leary and his team will assess the level of gastrointestinal dysfunction and abnormalities in people with autism, using a combination of approaches; endoscopic, immunological, biochemical and genetic. The overall aim is to characterise the biology of gastrointestinal abnormalities in people with autism and to examine any discrepancies between them and patients with conventional intestinal disorders.
My Department is also working with the Department of Education and Science in relation to the implementation of the recommendations of the task force on autism, which was commissioned by that Department.
