The report of the task force on autism, published by the Minister for Education and Science in late 2001, contains many recommendations which, when fully implemented, will further improve provision for both children with autism, high functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome and their parents. The principles associated with the task force recommendations would also apply to children with other special needs and their parents. It has been widely acknowledged that until the automatic response decision in 1998, the level of resources applied to special needs was not what it should have been. However, as in the case of the health services, the issue is not just resources. There have been weaknesses in the structures for the delivery of special education services and also in the wider legislative framework within which such services are delivered.