Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is so much I could say that I am not sure where to start, but I will begin with the Government's approach to the legislation. The context here matters. The Government has indicated it will not oppose or support it. In April 2019, Sinn Féin brought forward a motion in support of a special autism committee and an autism empowerment strategy, and finally, three years later, that first meeting happened yesterday. Within that time, there were two Sinn Féin motions in March, an Independent Group motion last year and a motion from the Labour Party some months ago. All the while, things have been moving forward at a snail's pace. In any event, I commend the work done by Deputy Ó Ríordáin on this Bill.

It is difficult to credit an attitude from the Government suggesting legislation is not the suitable vehicle given so many motions have been brought forward, and so many attempts to articulate the issues in a general sense and to give the Government scope to go forth, develop strategies and so on have been met with progress at a snail's pace. Moreover, it is not the case that legislation in general terms is unsuitable for dealing with the various challenges and resource needs that accompany autism. Seventy miles up the road, in the North, an autism Bill has been passed, as has been the case in many jurisdictions throughout the EU. There is nothing to say legislation is not a suitable place to deal with these issues. If it is the Government's view there are shortcomings or gaps in this legislation, not that I see any at first glance, there is no reason they cannot be addressed through committee hearings, amendments and so on. Let us work with the legislation that has been published and get an autism Bill through. I do not see a problem with that. It is the same old approach of the Government of keeping its head down and trying to minimise criticism without truthfully addressing the matter.

I commend the groups in the Public Gallery, several of whom I have met. I have also met other groups from Dublin 2, 4, 6, 6W, 15 and 24, Kildare and Cork but there are many other groups beyond that and I commend the national groups such as AsIAm, Inclusion Ireland and Families Unite for Services and Support, FUSS, Ireland. One of the points of frustration that both those groups and others articulate relate to the question as to what would be in those areas if they were not there. There is not anywhere like enough of them in those areas, but what would be there if they were not, by way of school places, therapies and so on? It should not be the case that parents, who have jobs, lives and many other things they have to do to support their child, have to get up, organise and push the NCSE, and that they at times have to correct the NCSE and the HSE in respect of the situation on the ground. That should not be their job. The services should meet them where they are. They should not have to meet them halfway, or even three quarters or nine tenths of the way sometimes, and that is the reality. They have to fight for every little bit.

I spoke at a Families Unite for Services and Support, FUSS, rally recently in Cork and articulated a view that parents' patience is wearing very thin. Many of these issues have long been articulated and there has been no solution. This issue relating to school places has been going on for five or six years at least and probably longer in some localities. Every year, the NCSE and the Department suggest they will probably be okay in September, and by the time it comes to March, they say they do not have enough places and they do not know what they will do, and then they must scramble to find places. It should never get to that. In other areas, such as in therapies, it seems to be going backwards. Parents are completely lost in the system, not to mention the children, and the HSE barely knows where to direct them. Waiting times seem to be getting longer. A parent of a six-year-old child who has been waiting two years for an assessment of need came to my clinic but, unfortunately, that is not at all unusual.

It should not be the case parents have to fight tooth and nail for everything. Why not give a legislative basis to their rights and entitlements and to the resources? I urge the Minister to reconsider that position. The Bill is going to pass Second Stage, which is positive, but I hope he will clarity his philosophy by the time it gets to Committee Stage, actively engage with us and try to get it progressed.

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