Dáil debates

Tuesday, 26 June 2007

 

Special Educational Needs.

10:00 pm

Photo of Mary O'RourkeMary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I congratulate the Minister on her re-appointment to the Department of Education and Science and thank her for being here for this debate. I welcome the relatively slim paragraph in the programme for Government which mentions the applied behavioural analysis, ABA, method for dealing with autism in young children. I have a particular personal interest in this matter from my family history and have studied it. A very interesting conference was held in Trinity College last weekend the papers from which I received today. They are amazing and very thought-provoking.

The most heart-breaking aspect of autism is that the child has great intelligence potential which is very difficult to unlock and thus it is very difficult for the child to communicate either with other children or with his or her parents. The ABA method of dealing with autism supplies the key for unlocking that potential within the child. Since I opened the Sapling School in Mullingar two years ago I have seen the potential grow within those children. I have seen them flower both at home and at school. It is wrong that we have not given the full accolade to such a method of education. I know of 12 schools that operate on a pilot basis and the programme for Government commits to funding them fully in the long term. I would like the Minister to outline whether they will have permanent status, which will be important for their buildings. There are 12 other schools pending. Will those 12 schools get the funding needed?

We all know of the Ó Cuanacháin case, which is costing so much for everyone. I have met the family to talk about their lovely boy. The change in him is stupendous since he started availing of the ABA method. I hope that is not to be snatched from him. When there is potential, every effort and financial input should be made towards bringing out that potential.

I do not know whether the in-built resistance to the ABA method rests with the Department or the Minister. Knowing the Minister as I do, I do not believe it lies with her. Occasionally we hear reference to the eclectic method, which is a lovely word which can bamboozle if one did not know what it meant. However, I would prefer to see a policy that the ABA method would be facilitated if that is the parents' wish. Those children are precious to their parents and need this method of education to unlock their potential and to attain the status of balanced young adults.

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