Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

The witnesses are very welcome, and I apologise for being in late. I chaired the Joint Committee on Autism in the previous Dáil-Seanad term.

We produced a report with 109 recommendations across all areas, including education and health. I know we have made significant progress with the implementation of the autism innovation strategy, which was launched last August. There are recommendations in that strategy but it is an 18-month strategy. We need to get to a point where we legislate for it to ensure the supports referred to in the strategy are there permanently for every child and every person. Ultimately, we need to give every child the same chance in life to reach their potential, but we are not doing so. When we walk in the front door of Leinster House, we can see the 1916 Proclamation and the reference to treating all the children of the nation equally. Some 109 years later, we are not doing it. It is sad this is the situation after the significant economic boom we have had and the good position we are in.

I would like to hear Mr. Gloster's view on the assessment of need situation as is and what he thinks it should be in future. Do we have enough third level places now existing to allow people to become qualified to be employed in the education system with the NCSE, which, to be honest, I agree with, or in our CDNTs and primary care sectors? I believe around 600 positions are currently unfilled across the approximately 90 CDNTs. Is this the case? What is the situation now - I am hearing about this on the ground - concerning children moving from the CDNTs to primary care? Does the primary care sector have the staff to support the additional children who will now be going under its remit? From being on the ground in my county of Longford, I know it does not have the staff. I ask Mr. Gloster to respond on those questions first.