Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

We have to be flexible and provide a range of methods. Given that our education system is child-centred and given also that teachers who are familiar with different interventions are the best trained people to tailor the approaches to the child rather than the other way round, this is the approach we are taking with children with autism all over the country. We believe that where a child needs a specific approach, be it TEACCH, PECS or ABA, that one will be available to that child.

It is unfortunate that the impression is given that we are completely against ABA. The situation is that we have a specific team in the Department headed up by a person with a Ph.D. in ABA, training is available for teachers in ABA and we give consultancy grants for schools to provide ABA. This should allow people to see that we recognise that every child with autism is different and that every approach is different. Children change and their needs change and that is why they need to have access to different approaches in our education settings.

I recognise that the pilot programmes for ABA established over the past ten years, were set up when there was nothing else on offer. The parents involved came together to make sure that an education would be provided for their children. Now there is a network available of special classes throughout the country. As we continue to expand our service throughout the country we would like to draw on the expertise that I acknowledge has been developed in ABA centres. In the programme for Government we have guaranteed to give long-term funding to these centres provided that we can have agreement on reaching certain standards such as qualifications of teachers and a balanced education programme for the children. We will be working with them and are having positive talks with them. The Senators will have heard on the radio, not just from myself, but from groups such as Irish Autism Action, that we are working well together to ensure that we are best meeting the needs of children throughout the country.

We are all come from the perspective of wanting to do what is best for all children with special educational needs, including children with autism. The first of those pilot ABA projects set up in the country, based in Cork, has already applied to become a special school and to work with us in agreeing standards. I hope that others will do that as well and will recognise that children change and have different needs. It is important in such a fast-changing area to keep on top of research throughout the world. We certainly will do that to see what is happening and how our education system can evolve in the years ahead. We will continue to ensure we put in place a nationwide network and incorporate best practice into our system. I look forward to hearing Senators' views but I am committed to introducing the Student Support Bill in the Dáil at 1 p.m.

This is a complex, emotive area which is very personal for families and children. I appreciate that more than anyone but I also appreciate that each child deserves the best option for education and the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. That is as true of a child with special educational needs as of any other child. That is why I have focused on this. It was identified in this House yesterday as a priority and I thank Senator O'Toole for that.

The energy, effort, commitment not to mention resources and teachers that go into this specific area is recognition that we are coming from very far behind and that this is an area of need on which we are working to try to meet all the needs of these people. It is difficult to do all this very quickly, but the Government's commitment has been demonstrated over the past ten years and will continue over the next few years. We will continue to meet the needs of all these children in a way which is child centred, friendly towards their needs, allows the flexibility of responding to their changing needs and ensures every child has access to fully qualified people who are able to work with and support him or her.

There is no better philosophy or policy on offer from any government or department of education. There is no better commitment to providing what is necessary for these children. There is also a commitment to ensuring we try to meet the needs of all children and to working very hard with all concerned, be they parents concerned about autism or Down's syndrome or parents of children with mild, moderate or severe general learning difficulties. The needs must be met right across the spectrum. I recognise we need to do more but we have shown our commitment. I look forward to hearing Senators' views on the wide range of needs of children with special educational needs.