Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

——whether through placement in mainstream classes, special classes or in special schools, a view supported by the findings of the task force report on autism. Autistic children in the school system have access to qualified teachers using a range of methodologies.

Over the past few years, 182 special classes for children with autism have been provided in special and mainstream schools and they are attached to the schools. We have provided five special classes for children with Asperger's syndrome, 18 preschool classes to facilitate the demand for early intervention and 14 stand-alone facilities for applied behavioural analysis, the ABA specific methodology, on a pilot basis.

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