Keith Swanick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As a medic, I am delighted to wholeheartedly support the Bill. It is good, pragmatic, solution-driven and concise. The Fianna Fail Party is happy to see it proceed through the respective Stages as it provides for a cross-departmental, multi-agency strategy. We are happy to support the principles behind an autism spectrum disorder strategy which seeks to address the specific needs of people with autism using a cross-departmental approach.

During the debate on Second Stage Senator James Reilly said - I wholeheartedly agree with him - that while we had excellent medical experts, as well as allied experts in speech and language and behaviour therapy and other areas, the experts on a child were his or her parents. In my own practice on many occasions I have seen parents who are so frustrated because they know what their child requires, but often he or she never receives a service. They are the ones who spend every waking moment with their child and know what he or she excels at and with what he or she may need help. They are crying out for assistance, whether it be in the area of education, health or welfare, to give their son or daughter a greater quality of life which is what it is all about at the end of the day. We are here to improve the quality of life of children who suffer from autism.

A national review of autism services was undertaken by the HSE in 2012. It concluded:

Geographically, current services can vary from robust, comprehensive and integrated to isolated, patchy and ineffective. This model is no longer appropriate or sustainable in providing equity of access and intervention.

"Isolated", "patchy" and "ineffective" are the terms with which I would be most familiar when speaking to parents. Across Ireland there are different models and approaches to the provision of health services in local health office, LHO, and HSE areas, but this is no longer appropriate or sustainable in providing for equity of access and intervention. There is no joined-up thinking, but I hope there will be after the passage of the Bill which offers an integrated approach to meeting the needs of people with an autism spectrum disorder, as well as generic health needs, which can be met at primary care level and which should be addressed by primary care teams. I am delighted with Senator James Reilly's amendment No. 2 which would be very inclusive of all of the agencies and experts involved. Where specialist knowledge, skills and expertise are required, a child should be referred to specialist services, including in education. A strategy that cuts across all Departments and acknowledges that every Department has a role to play will ensure a more streamlined approach is adopted.

In summary, we are very happy with the Bill and I commend Senator James Reilly for bringing it before the House. I am delighted that it is receiving cross-party support.

I take the opportunity to welcome to the Visitors Gallery a delegation, all good friends of mine, from Doohoma, County Mayo.