Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am certainly happy to look at this to see how we can improve and what supports we can provide for SNAs who are willing to retrain and re-skill, which is really important. I will be working very closely on the very good recommendations made in the SNA review.

I am challenging myself on the language we use regarding autism. I met AsIAm before Christmas and my officials since. On inclusiveness, are we using the proper titles? Even a term like "ASD unit" has all sorts of connotation; perhaps, therefore, it is time to really look at the language we use. I constantly use the term children or young people with autism, which is also wrong. They are autistic; it is not something that will be here today and gone tomorrow. I will work closely with the representative groups, but I would also like to hear Deputies' viewpoints on our use of language, even in the circulars I issue. I know that my officials are very conscious of this issue. It is a class, not a unit. It is not a disorder; rather, it is something people are born with. With the proper supports and services, they will get through life as well as anybody else who is not autistic.

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