Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 479: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she intends to support the establishment of the ACORN ABA school for autistic children on the northside of Dublin. [17988/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism receive an education appropriate to their needs, preferably through the primary and post primary school network.

My Department supports an eclectic approach to the education of children with autism where a range of teaching methods can be applied specific to the needs of individual pupils. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that Dublin's northside already has many facilities catering for children with autism including pre-school classes for children with autism, five of which are located on the north side of Dublin, special classes for children with autism attached to special schools and mainstream schools, 12 of which are located on the northside of Dublin, special classes for asperger's syndrome, two of which are located on the north side of Dublin plus a range of supports for pupils with autism integrated in mainstream classes. A pilot scheme facilitated the establishment of 12 specific autism units nationwide, one of which is located on the northside of Dublin.

A specific function of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which is now operational, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is to identify appropriate educational placements for all children with special educational needs, including children with autism for the area in question. An application for the facility in question is currently under consideration in my Department.