Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is estimated that one in 88 children in Ireland has some form of autism spectrum disorder and that somewhere in the region of 750,000 people have a disability of one form or another. In total, this amounts to 18.5% of the population. In numerical terms, this constitutes a significant section of society. Despite this, successive Governments have paid only scant attention to the needs and rights of intellectually, physically and differently abled adults and children. The end result is that people with a disability are more likely to be living in poverty, unemployed and dependent on State benefits. They are also more likely to be highly reliant on public services, especially in regard to health, housing and public transport. All in all, people with a disability are more likely to be excluded from society, or to be at risk of such exclusion.

Sinn Féin supports the Autism Bill 2013 but it does so in the best interest of adults with autism, their families and carers. Fianna Fáil, throughout all its years in office, and right through the so-called Celtic tiger era when it had significant financial resources at its disposal, did absolutely nothing for people with disabilities and, more specifically, people with autism. While I acknowledge Deputy Michael McCarthy's work in this area, I believe the fact that a Labour Party backbencher is now bringing a Bill before the House to make a Fine Gael Minister, with whom his party is in coalition, act with regard to autism is somewhat ironic and telling.

Moreover, the Government has not only failed to implement a national housing strategy and a comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities, it has also failed to ensure that all public policy measures are disability proofed. Sinn Féin is of the view that people who have autism should be automatically entitled to participate fully in all areas of Irish life. We believe that a best-practice model of service delivery, assessment, diagnosis and intervention for adults with autism, drawing on best international practice, is the way forward. We believe an integrated approach that includes statutory, voluntary and independent agencies is the only way to ensure high standards of service provision for autistic adults and their families. We also believe the State has a duty and responsibility to ensure that all necessary resources are put in place to ensure that this is the case.

In respect of all of the key indicators, namely, access to decent health care, access to education at primary, secondary and third levels, access to meaningful employment, and access to suitable and adequate housing, people with autism are discriminated against by policies enacted and not enacted by the current Government and successive Fianna Fáil-led Governments. In a mature and politically sophisticated State, adults with autism would be guaranteed the necessary services and resources required to live a life with dignity and purpose. This would mean ensuring that people with autism and their families receive, as a right, targeted supports and benefits and that the public services on which they depend are adequately resourced and of a high standard. Such supports are essential if people with autism are to be enabled to live full and autonomous lives. In other words, we need to support self-determination of people with disabilities by building their capacity and that of their families.

Sinn Féin supports this Bill. Adults with autism are human beings first and foremost. They deserve to have their rights as citizens fully vindicated. Sinn Féin will continue to speak out in favour of this and oppose all cuts to services and benefits that have a negative impact on them. I commend Deputy McCarthy on bringing the Bill before the House.

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