Joint Committee on Autism to discuss Autism Policy with Department of Social Protection

Committee Cathaoirleach Senator Micheál Carrigy said: “The Committee looks forward to meeting with representatives of the Department of Social Protection at the meeting tomorrow. The Committee has previously heard directly from parents of autistic children about issues such as the challenge of accessing care allowances. Importantly, the Department also has responsibility for areas such as disability payments and employment supports – areas which have a huge impact on the lives of autistic adults. 

“We are interested to learn more about what the Department of Social Protection is doing to ensure that autistic people and their families can access the supports that they require and how they can remove unnecessary barriers to access these vital supports.

We are also looking forward to hearing from our witnesses about EmployAbility and other services that can help to address the issue of unemployment and underemployment among the autistic community.”

The Joint Committee on Autism has 12 Members, seven from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

The meeting in Committee Room 4 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.