Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In August 2024, the autism innovation strategy was launched by the Government. Today I ask the Government to action its pledge in the programme for Government to place this strategy on a permanent legislative footing. This must be followed up with the appropriate investment and implementation. The strategy contains over 80 actions that reflect the priorities of autistic people, address the daily challenges they and their families face, and seek to address the gaps in existing services and supports. It is also designed to complement and enhance wider action on disability. It includes a significant number of recommendations of the final report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Autism, which was representative of all political groups within this House and engaged with relevant stakeholders. Some of the important actions of the strategy include establishing an autism innovation fund to fund projects to empower the autistic community and increase our understanding of autism; supporting inclusive and accessible learning environments that ensure autistic children and their families are supported in transitioning throughout the educational system; and enabling autistic children and adults to access early intervention assessments and multidisciplinary supports. I acknowledge some of the work completed to date, including one-stop shops, a €65 million investment in this year's summer programme, additional undergraduate places in therapies, and the 400 extra special classes and 300 school places sanctioned for this year.

Let me be clear: the needs and challenges faced by autistic people will not go away or end after 18 months.

Supports need to be put in place for the whole of life. The only way to ensure accountability and delivery of all the actions is to put it on a legislative footing. It is now eight months since the launch. How many of the actions have been commenced or completed? The recent report Same Chance, launched by AsIAm, identifies a regression by comparison with what is in last year's report. Some 86% of respondents say they still do not have the same chance as non-autistic people in Irish society, citing long waiting lists, discrimination, a lack of support and financial pressures as key barriers. Some 70% of respondents also do not believe the educational system is inclusive of autistic people, representing a 14% increase. Some 69% of children represented in the report are not currently receiving supports, while 84% are waiting over one year. This is indicative of circumstances in my county, where there are currently 3.9 vacant posts to be filled in the CDNT and, indeed, a waiting list for places in special schools.

We heard last week stories at first hand from parents of autistic children who are struggling to find suitable school places and relevant therapies. While we talk about numbers, we need to remember that each one is a person – a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister. I would like to put on record the words of young Fiacre Ryan, a young autistic boy from Castlebar who gave evidence to the joint committee:

It only seems appropriate to give the same rights given to those without autism to individuals with it. Needing some type of assistance does not make someone less of a person. ... Try to see past the autism and realise that we are the same inside as others.

I have already started to legislate by having introduced the Autism Action and Oversight Bill in the Seanad in October 2024. I have asked that the Government bring the Bill through the Houses in 2025 and ensure autistic people have the same chance to live, work, grow and participate.

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