Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to groups (details supplied) in County Wicklow who have submitted an application to her Department and the Health Service Executive for full State recognition and appropriate funding for a centre of education for children in County Wicklow with autistic spectrum disorders; if this will be sanctioned as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33313/06]

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. The Deputy will be familiar with the variety of current provision in this regard which includes pre-school classes for children with autism, special classes for children with autism attached to special schools and mainstream schools, special classes for Asperger's syndrome 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 and an application from the group referred to by the Deputy is currently under consideration.