Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity that this debate provides for me and my colleagues in the Department of Education and Science to put on the record the efforts that have been and are being made to improve the situation of children with special needs, including those with autism. I wish to outline for the House the changes to co-ordination and strengthening of existing measures that have been put in place since the formation of the new Government.

I was honoured to be appointed by the Taoiseach to the position of Minister of State at four Departments and to be given the assignment and responsibility for disability services. I have responsibility for the oversight of the Government's national disability strategy, including the six departmental sectoral plans and the co-ordination of the implementation of the Disability Act and the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. This cross-departmental assignment reflects the Government's commitment to the mainstreaming agenda. There are issues that are of particular relevance to people with disabilities which require a cross-departmental response. I agree with what Deputy Barrett said last night in the debate in this regard.

The designation of a Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities and the recent establishment of an office for disability, which I will deal with later, will facilitate cross-departmental working in areas of mutual responsibility and concern. The overall vision is to put in place structures which will provide for a greater cohesion than currently exists in the supporting disability structures across the public service.

The Government's overall objective is to put in place the most effective combination of legislation, policies, institutional arrangements and services to support and reinforce equal participation for people with disabilities, including those with autism. The national disability strategy was launched in 2004. Since then, a number of major strategic developments have been introduced, the first of which was the publication of the Disability Act 2005 and the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. The Disability Act 2005 provides for a comprehensive framework for the delivery of services to people with disabilities. It provides, for the first time, a statutory right to an assessment of individual need.

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