David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 380: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made in establishing a centre (details supplied) in County Armagh; the amount expended on the project to date; when she expects the centre to open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21742/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department and the Department for Education in Northern Ireland are engaged in the development of the Middletown Centre for Autism in County Armagh. The purchase of the Middletown property to house the Centre was jointly funded and work has just been completed on the development of a campus masterplan to refurbish the property. 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: a learning support service (on a residential basis), an educational assessment service, a training and advisory service, and an autism research and information service.

Officials from both Departments are working closely on this project and this interaction between the two Departments will continue over the coming months with a view to ensuring that the Centre becomes operational as quickly as possible. To date my Department has spent in the region of €2.6 million which is inclusive of the purchase price.