Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It was actually brilliant to watch on a particular level. The notion I get is the fact of the frustration when kids have a difficulty in expressing themselves, but especially when a person is completely locked away and has no chance of expression. We can see how Ms Ryan has provided Fiacre with a roadmap to express himself and to be part of society. It has enabled him to get into third level education. From this committee's point of view, it is a no-brainer in the sense that there is no choice but to support this as a roadmap for people with autism who are non-verbal. It makes complete sense.

The two witnesses are outliers. Beyond that, reference was made to the Cambridge research. The State has to get in the game with research and in the context of a pilot scheme. However, it should not do what it always does, which is set up a pilot scheme that remains a pilot scheme. It must actually go somewhere. Then it is about building up a level of capacity around tutoring, learning and so on. Other than that else has to be done? Ms Ryan spoke about her own workaround - or baling-twine solution - for accessing third level. What else has to be facilitated? In fairness, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, and others have been before the committee and have spoken about the fact, which we all understand, that a huge number of people cannot be all that they can be, whether it is because they come from different socioeconomic backgrounds or from different family set-ups. Then there is the wider issue of disability. We are trying to bridge whatever gaps that exist. What other gaps does Ms Ryan see that need to be bridged at this point, beyond the obvious of a proper means of assessing kids with autism who are non-verbal and providing them with the means and skill sets to be all they can be?