Mr. Andrew Geary:

They should look for the Assistance Dogs International badge on the jackets of all our workers once the charities all have full approval. That is the minimum. They should go to a charity that has Assistance Dogs International clearance or partnership status. There are three different charities focusing on autism spectrum disorders. Parents then have to match the options to the needs of their child. Our umbrella group is hoping to come up with a joint application form in the new year. The process is in the very early stages. There is some cross-contamination of waiting lists. If I need a dog for my child, I might have applied to three of the charities to get on all three waiting lists. We are trying to address that.

We need the State to look into formalising how an assistance dog is recognised. In some countries they even have the likes of the HSE inspect the partnership to determine if it is up to standard and whether the provider can have public rights access across the state.