Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Minister of State, Deputy John Moloney, will have cross-cutting responsibility through his disabilities and equality brief. Mental health is a separate issue. There is the whole question of mainstreaming autism services in our schools about which there are varying opinions. A significant amount of resources is going into that area. I do not believe it is about one Minister having responsibility for it across Departments but it is about Ministers liaising, planning, working, co-operating and networking to get these matters sorted to the greatest possible extent within the resources available.

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