Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the committee. This committee is cross-party and very supportive of services for people with autism. To the best of my knowledge, autism is not a mental health issue. I have heard it said that people get diagnosed with autism through mental health services. I am not a professional but to the best of my knowledge, people are going there for support.

I have a list of emails as long as my arm from people looking for access to mental health services such as CAMHS who are autistic and, unfortunately, who have been discriminated against. Does the Minister of State accept there is discrimination in our mental health services for young children who have autism? Not today or yesterday, and prior to this committee being set up, my colleagues in the Civil Engagement Group spoke about receiving emails from people who were refused access to a mental health organisation. Just last week, the committee heard from AsIAm the level of rejection that people with autism still face in Irish society and the level of rejection in our mental health services.

I have figures in front of me for the funding that has been allocated to mental health in general. Of course we welcome this and we hope for better for mental health services. We need to be specific that the committee is focusing on people who have mental health issues and are also autistic. Does the Minister of State accept that what we have in our mental health services at present is pure discrimination? Obviously this is not the case for all of them but I am thinking of CAMHS for our young people.

We have spoken about adults being diagnosed with autism. Through the hard work of organisations of people with autism, the clerk of the committee and the secretariat, we will make recommendations on mental health. How will the Minister of State ensure that she supports the committee with regard to implementing the recommendations?

Last week, Mr. Adam Harris spoke about an inclusive Bill that was brought about in 2016 in Malta. We are looking at framing a Bill to give equal access to people who are autistic. With the Minister of State support such a Bill to support people who are autistic? How can we separate the person from the mental health services and ensure it is inclusive?