Mr. Michael Hennessy:

I want to address part of Deputy Murnane O'Connor's question on housing. In the development of the housing strategy we are advocating that there be proper provision for people with a disability. My colleagues addressed the issue of wheelchair accessibility and wheelchair liveable housing. However, not all support needs are visible. People with autism may not have any visible physical needs, however when it comes to housing they have particular needs. We advocate for the fact that, while we want the people we support to live in mainstream society, their houses should look no different from anybody else's. For a person with autism, the built environment is critical in the provision of supports. A person with autism experiences life differently from other people and we respect that. That often requires the development of bespoke day services or residential buildings to reflect the person's needs.