Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of autism supports. The report of the Joint Committee on Autism made 109 recommendations. We all know the difficulties that parents face in terms of autism units and disability school transport. I am even hearing from crèches that they do not have the resources they need to provide support for a considerable number of the children with autism who are attending their facilities.

We know about the game of ping-pong between primary care and children’s disability network teams, not to even mention child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. We know that we do not have enough speech and language therapists, occupational therapists or psychologists. Even if we get recruitment correct and have all the budgetary pieces in place, we will not rectify that in the short term. What plans are there to get the best bang for our buck and to provide the best supports for children and their families? The various Ministers, their Departments and the HSE need to engage on this and deliver.

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