Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael)
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I will just make a couple of comments in the time left. The prize is big. It is not by accident that our guests are here today. We felt the conversation would work with everyone together and one ask I have is that the conversation would continue with the Minister. I think they are the components. We have SOLAS, which looks after further education, a European-acknowledged project in Trinity that is working and the DCU world. We have the components and groundbreaking work is being done across the various sectors.

It just needs to be expanded across the country. I believe the will from Government is there. That conversation will happen between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. if members wish to look in as many of the questions will be based on the conversation we have had here because it is working. As Deputy Ó Murchú said, I have skin in the game, I have a strong knowledge of this and I have a young autistic son. I personally want to ensure that he and others have a future and even with a third level education, it gives a lift to me to know that possibility is there but it needs to be worked on and expanded. Following on from today, I would like to see that conversation going further. Whatever support is needed, I know that all of the members here will support this in whatever way we can cross-party to ensure that it happens. We will be publishing a report at the end of March with our views as a committee and with whatever recommendations we feel are required for whole-of-life supports for young autistic persons. I strongly believe that this will form part of it. There needs to be that pathway going forward, for the funding to be put in place and a pathway for all young autistic persons.

The summer transition is very important and I was talking to a young autistic lad from my local area who started in Trinity College Dublin in September. He goes around to national schools speaking to young children and tells them how it has affected his life. I know that he came to Trinity over the summer and went around the college to familiarise himself etc. It is a fantastic initiative. Earlier our witnesses may have heard that we passed a report on the summer programme, which is more for younger children. Have our witnesses any comments on third level, where there is a three-month gap where young autistic persons are at home, or have they any thoughts on that?

On the companies referred to, I was looking at a screenshot of them and there are many national companies such as CpL and An Post, which I worked for myself. As our guest speakers said, the opportunity is there. Would all of these companies be willing to work with this if it was replicated in every university or further education institution in the country? Would all of those companies be willing to expand on the numbers that are working with them at present from our witness organisations?