Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is true. We need to think outside the box in terms of how we capture the expertise of people with autism and the other conditions I mentioned. They rarely judge others. They are passionate about what they are focused on, whatever it might be, and they are not tied to social expectations. They have terrific memories.

A couple of weeks ago I read about a young chap with autism. I do not know if the Minister of State has ever tried to put a flat pack together but this chap could put together flat pack furniture without any instructions. In terms of artistic value, I have seen people who are able to copy art in the most minute detail. We do not capitalise on that and are losing out on those human resources. If we were to provide proper training and proper environments, we could do a great deal more in addition to the individual fulfilling his or her potential and the joy the families would get from watching them fulfil their potential. We are missing out on innovation and the monetary value to society because we are not providing opportunities, not to mind the fact that equality of opportunity should be taken as a given in a society or a republic. We are not using advances in technology to assist people with autism and people with disabilities.

We must think differently about people with disabilities and what we are missing if we do not resource them properly and provide the right opportunities.