Vol. 574 No. 2
112 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding the proposed all-Ireland centre of excellence for autism to be purchased at Middletown, County Armagh; the amount expended to date on the project; the total cost envisaged; the role and function planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26557/03]
It is intended that the facility in question will be purchased, funded and operated on a joint North-South basis to serve the needs of children and young persons with autism in both jurisdictions.
The purchase cost involved is £3 million sterling. Precise details of the annual operating costs will not be available until final decisions have been taken on the required level of specialist inputs involved in the various elements of the centre's activities. However, current estimates suggest an overall annual operating cost of approximately €2 million. No funding has been expended to date on the project.
Proposals for the centre envisage the following: an educational assessment service for children and young people referred to the centre with a suspected or confirmed autistic spectrum disorder; a training and advisory service for teachers, other professionals and parents; an individual learning centre; an autism research, dissemination and information service; and residential accommodation with care staff.
The proposed centre at Middletown will not replace any existing service provision for children with autism. Rather, it will complement existing services by providing specialist back-up support, advice and guidance on best practice to service providers North and South. The final terms of the purchase contract are currently under discussion with the owners of the facility.
