Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a better chance of the man to my left as opposed to myself becoming a Deputy in the near future. The matter concerns funding for autism spectrum disorder, ASD, units. Currently, in Ireland approximately one child in 65 is diagnosed with autism, as the Minister will be aware. ASD is the name used for a specific set of behavioural and developmental problems and the challenges that go with them. As the Minister will know, a diagnosis of ASD means that children's communication, social and play skills are affected in some way, which means they have specific educational needs. Some parents are forced to drive miles to a school in another town or county to access a school with an ASD unit. I have heard of other cases of children with autism who are currently not attending school due to a lack of a suitable placement. Other children have left school early due to a lack of places.

Studies show that children who secure a place in an ASD unit can benefit greatly and make good progress. They learn at their own pace in a much smaller class size. Moreover, they get one-on-one attention in an environment tailor-made for their needs. Some units have access to a sensory room and children can also integrate with mainstream classes where possible. Children with autism have a right to an education in their own school. I ask the Minister to make funds available to provide at least one ASD class per school nationwide based on the statistics of the number of children with a diagnosis of ASD in Ireland.