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

I put it to the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, that we really need to see that one-stop shop. It needs to get beyond words. We know what the huge issues are when we are talking about carers or those with disabilities and their wider families. We need to make sure there is a proper framework around them.

I welcome to the Public Gallery Alexandra Jedrzejewska from All Abilities Action Alliance Louth. I met with Ms Jedrzejewska, Ms Eimear McNally and Mr. Brian Crilly in the last while. We had an over and back on the lack of school places, particularly in secondary schools, for kids with autism. It is a huge issue. Mr. Paul Callan from Louth Disability Cycling was here earlier as Iarnród Éireann was giving him an award. He is doing absolutely spectacular work alongside Kevin O'Brien and others.

My colleagues have spoken about the fact that we need to do right by the disability capacity review and follow up on the action plan for disability. I am talking specifically about autism. We have had the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Autism report and its recommendations. We know the issues in relation to respite, which we have dealt with before. Following on from comments by Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, I must point out that we had our own Louth respite forum, which became a disability forum. However, it has fallen by the wayside with the HSE. We really need to see it in place.

I must return to the issue I brought up with the Taoiseach, which is spaces for those with autism, particularly in secondary school. The official numbers for County Louth are 75 special classes at primary school level and, while I would need detail on some of these numbers, it is 23 classes at secondary school level. Of the 18 secondary schools across County Louth, only nine have special classes. I have dealt with a number of the teachers and principals across all of the schools and their issue is that they are dealing with the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, and with the Department and the building unit. This is where it falls down. I mentioned the schools earlier. We need to see real action across the board on the school inclusion model.

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