Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I was putting forward a devil's advocate position to allow Dr. Matthews the space to unpack the issue.

I want to direct a couple of questions to the TUS representatives. The university has 128 students who identify as autistic. I realise the representatives might be a little too close to the start of the process to answer a question on the longitudinal tracking of what becomes of students who pass through the university. We know from AsIAm that between 80% and 85% of people with autism are either unemployed or underemployed. From the representatives' experience, how are work placements, which are part of college work, working out? Universities are much more chaotic and fluid environments than primary and secondary schools, but I assume transitioning into a work placement is a challenge.

I want to ask about academic progression. If people sign up at level 8, how many go on to level 9 or 10? If they sign up at level 6, do they move on to level 7 or 8?

I also want to ask about course completion rates and labour force participation. When autistic people graduate from TUS, are there good rates of participation? Are they being placed in jobs? We have to understand this as a lifelong pathway. The university is seeking to add at tertiary level to whatever provision, however adequate, is being made at primary and secondary levels, but we must determine whether people are moving to fourth level and to employment from there.