Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health. The HSE's 2012 report, entitled National Review of Autism Services Past, Present and Way Forward, and the programme for progressing disability services for children and young people, that is, zero to 18 years of age, set out the overall policy context for the provision of ASD services to children and young people. The latter's objective is to achieve a national, unified approach to delivering disability health services for children with disabilities, including those with ASD. It provides for a clear pathway to services for all children regardless of where they live, what school they attend and the nature of their disabilities and that available resources be used to the best effect. A key part of the programme is its emphasis on strong links with primary care and specialist services such as CAMHS. The programme aims to remedy the variations in service provision that persist throughout the country.

In 2014, the HSE is taking a number of key steps in implementing the reorganisation of services in line with the programme. An additional €4 million has been allocated, equating to 80 additional therapy staff, to support the initiative. As part of the programme's roll-out in 2014, local implementation groups, LIGs, in Dublin North, including the north city, and Dublin South, Dublin South-East, Dublin South-West and Dublin South-Central will finalise their consultation phase, complete implementation plans and begin reconfiguration and service delivery in line with the new service model. The Minister is confident that this will have a positive impact on the provision of therapeutic services for all children requiring access to health-related supports, including those with ASD.

I recognise the distinction made by the Senator and the challenge facing the principal of the school in question. As the Senator is aware, Beechpark is a regional HSE service that provides clinical supports for children with a specific diagnosis of ASD up to 18 years of age who attend designated special schools, outreach preschools and outreach classes in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow. The HSE indicates that, in recent years, demands on this service have increased through a growth in the number of new classes for children with ASD.

While Beechpark, like other health service providers, must live within the financial and other constraints applying, it endeavours to provide services on the basis of prioritised need. In respect of Beechpark North, the HSE has indicated that all permanent staff vacancies that arose in 2013 have been filled. In addition, six posts which have been approved are currently in the recruitment phase with the HSE national recruitment service. Importantly, the HSE has also assigned a disability manager to oversee the reconfiguration of services for children with disabilities in Dublin North and Dublin north city in line with the national progressing disabilities programme for children and young people. The Beechpark service is actively involved in the change process in the context of the local implementation groups that have been established across Dublin North-East and Dublin Mid-Leinster under the HSE's progressing disability services programme.

The Senator also raised the issue of access to child and adolescent mental health services. A major reform of mental health services is also currently underway, in line with the recommendations of A Vision for Change. That is being led by the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. Additional funding of €90 million has been provided over the last three budgets to support this reform programme. A key priority in this regard is to enhance and streamline the way in which the mainstream mental health and disability care programmes look after children and young people up to 18 years of age. There are currently 61 multidisciplinary child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, teams in place. Work is under way to enhance the skills mix of these teams and to recruit additional CAMHS posts.

Notwithstanding an increasing demand for mental health services, the focus on improving services will continue. Targeted investment of €20 million has been provided by the Government for new initiatives this year. This will include CAMHS services in north Dublin and the provision of services for hyperkenetic and other attentional problems among children and young people. While the current economic situation in the country is presenting challenges, the Minister is committed to protecting front-line services, including children's disability and autism services, to the greatest extent possible.