Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will support the provision of an ABA unit for autistic children in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5063/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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An application received from the group referred to by the Deputy to participate in the pilot scheme, which has facilitated the establishment of a number of ABA-specific units nationwide, is under consideration by officials in my Department.

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. In this regard my Department has established: 181 special classes for children with autism, attached to special and mainstream schools; 5 special classes for children with Asperger's Syndrome; 16 pre-school classes to facilitate the demand for early intervention provision for children on the autistic spectrum; 14 Stand Alone facilities providing an Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) specific methodology on a pilot basis — 2 of these facilities have yet to be established.