Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

I am delighted to have an opportunity to speak on the withdrawal of home tuition grants. In the past, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, emphasised her commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism, receive an education appropriate to their needs. In that context, the decision to withdraw home tuition grants for children with autism is perplexing. What could be the rationale for this action when it clearly affects one key element of children's education, that is, the essential extra they receive in a comfortable home environment on a one-to-one basis? That has been crucial to their successful integration into the mainstream education system.

The Minister now says her Department considers that school-based education provision is the most appropriate intervention for all children. That is an arrogant statement which is untrue. It is astonishing in the context of fulfilling the educational needs for children with autism. The Irish Society for Autism states that it is essential to have an individualised education programme for each person. It also states that parents should be encouraged to take an active role in all aspects of a child's development. The Minister is suggesting that the home tuition service can be ended and that from now on such children can struggle through the school system without any back-up. Parents will lose out also as a result of the withdrawal of the home tuition scheme. As they, too, learn how to cope with their children's needs, home tuition is a support for them also.

Children with autism need one-to-one tuition on a consistent basis from as early an age as possible. They grow up to be independent and in doing so save the State from having to provide for them as dependent adults in the future.

I repeat that the decision by the Minister to reverse the gains made through the provision of the home tuition grant scheme is astonishing. I cannot believe the Minister made the decision for money reasons because I am aware of her commitment to education. With the Government coffers overflowing, the Department is not short of funds.

As a society, we are still dealing with the damage caused to three or more generations of our citizens because of the mistaken belief in institutions such as industrial schools and the refusal to believe that the home environment is where a child's crucial learning occurs. The same occurred in the past when children with intellectual disabilities were locked away in institutions, with the result that their potential was lost forever. I am not suggesting that our school system can in any way be compared to those practices but the institutional approach the Minister is taking to the issue is causing such concern for parents who are struggling, with all the pressures of modern life, to rear children with intellectual disabilities.

Schools do an excellent job with their limited resources but they do not have the specialised personnel to cope with a child with autism in a classroom of 30 children. Some of my constituents in west Clare are very concerned about the removal of this key plank in support of the education of their children. I know from talking to my colleagues that the same is true throughout the country. We all saw the "Prime Time" programme the other night. I know the family involved in that programme very well.

It is not enough to talk about the number of pre-schools and the school classes for autism when there is no adequate back-up in most areas, apart from what the Government was able to provide up to now through the home tuition grant system. Despite assurances from the Minister, the west Clare autism specialism system sanctioned in Kilrush looks doubtful for September because no qualified personnel are available as yet. I urge the Minister to ensure those qualified persons are appointed as soon as possible.

A response to a recent parliamentary question indicated that the Department had spent €11.7 million in legal costs and settlements relating to educational provision for children with special needs in the three years up to 2005. The Minister admitted that the vast majority of these cases relate to children with autism. This is a staggering amount of money and I doubt that the Minister could assure me that a similar bill will not be presented to the taxpayer in 2006. The courts have repeatedly found that the State has failed to provide the funding and resources for children with autism. Has the Minister calculated how many years €11.7 million would pay for a properly funded home tuition grant scheme with all the appropriate back-up in terms of providing training for personnel?

The Minister has said with no apology to the taxpayer that her Department attempts whenever possible to reduce the potential for litigation and the level of legal costs where litigation arises. Has she calculated the legal costs that arise from this penny-pinching measure? It seems to be a case of being cent wise and euro foolish. It is no wonder the opinion polls show support diminishing for the Government as it loses its grip on the reality of value for money principles, not to mention the constitutional provision to cover the education of our children.

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