Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to mention a project I have been involved in since I came into Leinster House. It is well known that I have been advocating on behalf of the autistic community. The joint Oireachtas committee issued a report a number of weeks ago and I look forward to working with my colleagues and making sure that report is implemented and making the changes that need to be made in government.

Senators will have received correspondence from me a number of weeks ago about a training programme that we are running here in Leinster House. The project, on which we are working with the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, is an autism awareness training programme to make Leinster House one of the first parliaments in the world that is an autism-friendly building. The training programme has been started and I would urge colleagues, their parliamentary staff and secretarial staff throughout all the parties to make sure we take part in this training. We have set ourselves a challenge of training all the staff - up on 1,500 people in the Leinster House complex - and ensuring that before the end of the year we will be an autism-friendly building. Certificates will be issued to those who complete the programme. I note the Cathaoirleach has taken part in it. I urge Senators, as we come into the summer recess, to ensure they, their staff and party staff take part in and carry out that training. It is worthwhile. I look forward to us being successful in getting that accreditation and being one of the first parliaments in the world to do so.In tandem with that, I attended the graduation ceremony for the Oireachtas Work Learning, OWL, programme participants in the Members' restaurant, along with the Cathaoirleach. It is important that we acknowledge the programme, which has been running here in Leinster House for three years. It is an Oireachtas work learning programme, which gives youngsters an opportunity to take up employment here, in our national Parliament, to enable them to go forward and hopefully gain employment in the wider civil and public service. I acknowledge Roisin Deery and the team who are doing a huge amount of work on that programme. They are also working on the autism training and have set that challenge for the six months ahead. We must acknowledge the work that has been done here in Leinster House, as well as the youngsters that took part in the programme. They were there with their families at the graduation ceremony in Leinster House and have taken part in interviews for jobs in the wider public service. We wish them well. As a Parliament, we should encourage all Departments to engage with this project-----