Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I acknowledge the difficulties faced by the family. I know it has an extraordinarily complex family situation with which to deal. I am aware of the case. It was discussed by my colleagues yesterday at the Cabinet meeting and I have been briefed on the issues. The Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, in conjunction with the Health Service Executive, has been fully aware of and involved in the case in recent days. She has personally spent a large part of the weekend dealing with the relevant issues. My colleague, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, has been dealing with the family since it came to Ireland, at least for 15 months. I have been talking to him at some length about the case.

Any case involving children is distressing to everybody involved. For legal reasons, I cannot go into the details of the case in question. The Deputy has not asked me to do so. The Child Care Act prohibits the identification of children who are the subject of care proceedings. I agree with this because children are the most vulnerable people in our society.

The Deputy has asked me about the various facilities that are available. As I understand it, this has been discussed and there has been an effort to try to reach agreement on both the education and health issues in respect of the case in question. There has been an enormous effort made to try to reach agreement and I hope those involved will achieve this. A number of people are working in this regard.

Let me consider the funding for this sector generally rather than in respect of the case in question, given that the Deputy raised the matter. Additional revenue and capital amounting to €400 million has been invested in support services for those with intellectual disabilities, particularly those with autism. The Department of Education and Science is developing the network for special educational provision for children with autism. The extent of progress in this area can be measured from the fact that, over the past few years, when autism was recognised as representing a distinct special educational need, a number of special dedicated facilities have been developed. Pre-school classes for children with autism have been established, as have special classes for children with autism, attached to the special schools and mainstream schools. Special classes for children with Asperger's syndrome have also been established. Facilities have been developed and sanctioned on a pilot basis which are providing an applied behavioural analysis model, ABA, in response to the needs of children with autism. Another major landmark in the development of autism-specific services was the launch last autumn of the Middletown Centre for Autism by the Minister for Education and Science and the relevant Minister in Northern Ireland. An enormous amount of work has been done.

I hope the plan to deal with the particular needs of the family in the sensitive case in question will, if it is not already worked out, be worked out in the next few days. We are all concerned to see the case dealt with.

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