Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1554: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding the All Ireland Autism Centre for Excellence at Middletown; and her views on the need for an all Ireland legislative framework to ensure the strategic delivery of services from Middletown across the island of Ireland. [1634/07]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1642: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a chief executive has been appointed for the All Ireland Autism Centre for Excellence at Middletown. [2038/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1554 and 1642 together.

As the Deputy is aware my Department and the Department of Education in Northern Ireland are jointly engaged in the development of the Middletown Centre for Autism in County Armagh. Both Departments have jointly funded the purchase of the former St. Joseph's Adolescent Centre, Middletown and plan to refurbish the property with a view to developing 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:

a learning support service (on a residential basis),

an educational assessment service,

a training and advisory service, and

an autism research and information service.

The Centre will be run by a limited company and requires a Board of Directors which will be provided for under a Memorandum and Articles of Association. I am satisfied that these arrangements will ensure the strategic delivery of services from Middletown across the island of Ireland.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the CEO for the Middletown Centre has been selected and it is expected that appointment to the position will made in April of this year.

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.