Colette Kelleher (Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is a big reorganisation of local therapy services called "Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People". What links has the Department of Education and Skills made with that health service reorganisation? It would probably not be wise to split the education therapies from the health-related therapies because it is being done on a geographical basis.

How soon will we have a policy, a model and funding for post-18 education for children with autism? I have personal experience of this. I was the chief executive of Cope Foundation, which was patron of what was the CABAS school. Suddenly we had two children and then ten children moving from the secondary school during the dark days of the recession. As an organisation we just decided we would find a way to do it because we could not allow those young people, in whom there had been considerable investment, suddenly to have nothing in terms of their education. This policy is urgently required. I know the Department is catching up with the secondary schools, but the post-secondary school situation should not just be down to local activism and people taking responsibility locally.