Results 1,021-1,040 of 1,959 for speaker:Micheál Carrigy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: Ms Parsons mentioned training. As part of the project here in Leinster House all 1,500 staff, both political and non-political, will be part of that training with AsIAm so there is a better understanding from all of us in the political circle on autism.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I agree. The Middletown Centre for Autism was before the committee a number of weeks ago. We also travelled up to Armagh ourselves. That organisation has the best practice with regard to training. It is my view, and I think it is shared, that that organisation should be rolling out the training across the country for both parents and those in our education system. That training needs to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I thank Ms Egan. Family resource centres were mentioned. It is an issue I am working on. The last time applications were open for new family resource centres around the country was in 2018, some five years ago now. At that time, there were more than 90 applications. Of those, 11 successful sites were selected. Tusla told me that my home town of Longford has been identified as a priority...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: We are a priority, yet there is no sign of applications being open for us to put forward a case to seek a family resource centre, despite the fact we need one immediately because we do not have that resource in such a large town. Tusla needs to take that on board. It affects not only Longford. Family resource centres are needed in other areas around the country. Where there is such a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I thank Ms Leavy and invite Ms O'Mahony to make her opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I do not think it is acceptable that parents would have to drive a three- to four-hour journey every day. Mr. O'Mahony might wish to add some comments.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I thank Mr. O'Mahony. He might forward the details of that school to the clerk to the committee. I now invite Ms Elisha Sweeney from the Mayo Autism Camp. I congratulate the group. I understand they will receive a Cathaoirleach's award in Mayo tonight. Well done for the work you have done.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I now invite Ms Hilda Duignan and Ms Claire Earley from Autism Parents Athlone, County Westmeath.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I thank all witnesses as parents who are involved in support groups for the work they do. I echo what was said at the committee, which is that we need to see the support groups replicated across the country, but the Government needs to support the groups financially. We cannot have situations where groups have to do significant amounts of fundraising to put in place the supports their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I advise Mr. O'Malley, that he is identifying a person, even without using a name, as it is a person in certain position. I ask Mr. O'Malley to steer clear of doing that, please.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I thank Mr. O'Malley. We move on to Mark Devereux from Waterford.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: Thank you. There is one more speaker. We are over time but I feel it is important to give everyone an opportunity. We will have a short time afterwards for members to ask questions. We will continue until 1.25 p.m. before we break. As I said, there will be a photographer on the Plinth to get a group photograph and we will then have refreshments. I welcome the representatives from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: We have gone way over time but I felt it was important-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I am going to have to move on to let members put a couple of questions. I will be quite honest; we have gone way over time. I apologise but I gave everyone as long as I could. I just want to give members the opportunity to ask questions. I will introduce my colleagues, both members of the committee and other colleagues who have asked to attend the meeting. Senator Wall from Kildare,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: Will Mr. Devereux submit to the committee information on the costs he faced to upskill himself in his profession in the way he described? It might form a template for the costs teachers are taking on at their own expense to educate themselves. If he would forward such information to the committee, we would be extremely grateful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: Deputy Tully mentioned the Disability Act, about which I feel strongly based on discussions we have had over the past nine months. It is an issue that comes to the fore. As everyone has mentioned, the lack of services is an issue. I call on the Government to review the Disability Act. Such a review needs to happen. We need to give entitlement to services to children and young adults with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: As Deputies Tully and Ó Murchú said, we met an organisation representing occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and psychologists last Tuesday. When Progressing Disability Services was set up, the HSE did not meet these groups. Changes need to be made but they must be made in consultation with the people who will be doing the work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: I thank Senator Lombard. On my own behalf as Chair, I thank everyone for coming here today. People have travelled significant and long distances. As all members have stated, it was powerful listening to their testimonies. As a committee, we are charged with making a report to the Government on 1 June 2023. We are committed to that and to ensuring we include recommendations that will lead...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: Good afternoon, everybody. I welcome you to this public meeting of the Joint Committee on Autism in the Chamber of the Seanad, the Upper House of our Parliament here in Leinster House. I warmly welcome all the self-advocates and representatives from various parents' organisations. I thank the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, Deputy Buttimer, and the Leader of the Seanad, Senator Chambers,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Services and Supports Provided by the State for Autistic People: Discussion (2 Mar 2023)

Micheál Carrigy: Well done, Mr. Kenny and Ms Kenny. I now call on Mr. Deasún Kelly. For the information of those present, Deasún is a neighbour of mine from home in Longford. He is in first year in Trinity College studying maths, I believe.