Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 380: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the special classes being provided by the Celbridge branch of the Dyslexia Association of Ireland at both primary and second level; if her further attention has been drawn to the urgent need for financial assistance in view of the wide range of classes being provided and the obvious costs involved; if she will consider an application for assistance with a view to meeting the ongoing funding requirements of the association; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7839/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 412: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the special classes being provided by the Celbridge branch of the Dyslexia Association of Ireland at both primary and second level; if her further attention has been drawn to the urgent need for financial assistance in view of the wide range of classes being provided and the obvious costs involved; if she will consider an application for assistance with a view to meeting the ongoing funding requirements of the association; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7838/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 380 and 412 together.

My Department has provided annual funding of €63,500 to the Dyslexia Association of Ireland since 1999. I understand this funding has helped the association to operate an information service for members and the public. In addition, it is understood that part of this funding has assisted in meeting the costs associated with the attendance of some children from disadvantaged backgrounds at workshops and programmes organised by the association.

My Department has received representations from certain branches of the Dyslexia Association of Ireland expressing concern at the escalating costs of running the workshops. My Department is in communications with the association at central level about its funding requirements.

Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 381: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when it is proposed to open the cross-Border regional autism centre at Middletown, County Armagh; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7874/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The joint launch last September by my predecessor and the Minister with responsibility for education in Northern Ireland of the Middletown Centre for Autism marked the successful completion of the purchase of the former St. Joseph's Adolescent Centre, Middletown, County Armagh, on behalf of the Department of Education in the North and the Department of Education and Science in the South. Both Departments plan to refurbish the property to meet the needs of a centre of excellence for children and young people with autism throughout the island of Ireland. The centre will be dedicated to improving and enriching the educational opportunities of children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders.

Four key services will be provided by the centre. These will include a learning support service, on a residential basis, an educational assessment service, a training and advisory service, and an autism research and information service. Since the launch, my officials have had a number of meetings with their counterparts in Northern Ireland regarding the further development of the centre.

A number of working groups are continuing to address the legal, financial, organisational and infrastructural aspects of the proposal. For example, work is continuing on the development of a campus master plan for the Middletown property which, when complete, will guide the commissioning of any necessary infrastructure and refurbishment works. In addition, the process for the recruitment of a chief executive officer to operate the centre is being formulated at present.

At this stage it is anticipated that the centre would be operational by autumn 2006.