Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this important Bill. We all know young couples for whom it is a very tough cross to bear when they find out their child has a problem. It certainly places strain on them because they want the best for their child or, in some cases, children. The situation is no different in Kerry. We have our share of families that include children with autism. Parents are looking for assessments and placements and they see their child is being neglected.

The first point to make is that we should try to determine, as I have asked before of the Government, what is causing the increasing levels of autism in children. The numbers affected seems to be ever increasing. We are told that one in every 65 children presents with autism. I feel the number is much higher than that from the level of representations my office is getting daily. More than 4,000 children are on waiting lists for autism assessment. That is dreadful. I am not blaming anyone in particular for this. The problem was there under previous Governments but it is increasing now and we must deal with it. It is truly shocking that in 2022, children with disabilities are not being looked after properly.

The current waiting time for an autism assessment is between two and three years. Many parents are worried this will leave it too late for their child to be assessed and get the interventions that are needed. An incidence rate of one in 65 surely says there should be a special needs assistant in more schools, including one- and two-teacher schools. Many families have to go down the route of private assessment. We know how much stress families are under with the cost of everything today, including the cost of fuel to go to work. Parents often have to pay anything from €950 to €1,500 for a private assessment. It is safe to say that parents who can afford such an assessment have access to services sooner and, therefore, obtain better outcomes for their children. What about the parents who do not have €950 to €1,500? They feel their child is being denied the right to fair play.

I welcome the Bill and this debate. We need to see a sea change in how autism services are delivered and we need to see tangible results. We have our share of families in this situation in Kerry. An enormous number of parents are presenting who feel their child has autism. The first thing they are not getting is an assessment, which is taking two to three years to access. I know the Minister of State is listening. It is hard to stand up here when one only has a couple of minutes and can see the Minister is not listening. I see she is listening and I appreciate that. I hope she will take all our words back to the Cabinet table and make sure something positive comes out of this debate. That is what we are asking. We are depending on her. It is her time to act, as Minister of State with responsibility for this area, alongside the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. We appreciate that. Will she please do something for these children? It is their time as well and they only get one cut at it. We need to help them at the earliest possible stage in their development and ensure they get the assistance they require from the State and the education system.

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