Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As the mother of a child with autism, developing policy that ensures inclusion and access is of particular significance and importance to me. For this reason, I support the Bill and what it is trying to achieve. I reiterate, however, the point made by Deputy Tully regarding language and terminology. After a recent engagement with the AsIAm organisation, I am aware that a large proportion of the community dislike the word "disorder", as it frames their experience and reality as a sickness and as something being wrong with them. This is symptomatic of a larger issue in our society concerning the way in which we perceive disability, pathologise it and make it into an illness. Layers of judgment, prejudice and limiting beliefs are being imposed on individuals who not only have to navigate their additional needs but must deal with the identity of being deemed to have a "disorder".

The report from the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, OCO, Unmet Needs, highlights levels of inadequacy in the provision of services for many children with additional needs. In 2020, for example, only 8% of children had their assessments of need completed within the regulation three-month period specified in the Disability Act 2005. In a response I received on Monday through the parliamentary question system, I was made aware that 9,141 children are currently awaiting appointments for services in areas such as speech and language. The group AsIAm has also shown that almost eight out of ten families trying to access services for their children with autism were not able to access early intervention teams, school age teams or the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. My colleague, Deputy Funchion, tabled a motion in 2019 addressing the issue of an autism empowerment strategy, as has been mentioned. I return to this point because even though the motion was passed and received strong cross-party support, the committee that the motion called for was never established. These are timely plans that we should be implementing, as opposed to kicking the can down the road.

Exclusion from an early age and the lack of appropriate supports, as we all know, can have negative effects later in life. That is why I support the provisions of the Bill and reiterate the importance of forming a committee.

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