Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 480: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason she is not funding the places required for children with autism at an ABA school (details supplied) in County Wicklow, in view of the fact that there are 12 ABA schools around the country being funded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36385/06]

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.

The school in question is not an ABA school. It is a special school which caters for pupils with moderate, severe or profound learning disabilities as well as children on the autistic spectrum. My Department currently supports and funds autism-specific education for children with autism eligible to attend this school.

An application was recently received from the school in question to participate in the pilot scheme which has facilitated the establishment of a number of ABA-specific autism units nationwide. This application is currently under consideration. In the meantime, I can assure the Deputy that my Department continues to fund existing autism-specific provision for children with autism in the school.