Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, services, especially in community healthcare organisation, CHO, 4, of which Cork is part. I acknowledge the great work of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, in progressing the assessments of need. We have seen a dramatic decline in the length of waiting lists nationally but there are still a number of black spots across the country of which CHO 4, including Cork, is one. More than 200 children are awaiting assessment. The difficulty that I have is that we still allow principals and boards of management the discretion to choose whether they establish an ASD class in their school. It is high time that we look at that situation. We need to revise and review it ahead of next year's intake. What is the Taoiseach's opinion on that issue?

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