Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 367: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the facilities that are to be made available for autistic children; the level of satisfaction with training provided for an autistic child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47742/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the child referred to by the Deputy is attending a centre which is not recognised or funded by my Department I cannot comment on the standard of provision. The Deputy will be aware of the Government's commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network and a school placement is available for the child in question. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, fully qualified professional teachers, special needs assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.

My Department has put in place a training programme for teachers in autism-specific interventions including Treatment and Education of Autistic Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH), Picture Exchange Communications System (PECS) and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) through the Special Education Support Service (SESS). The SESS facilitates a partnership approach involving support teams of practising teachers, Education Centres, the Inspectorate, the National Educational Psychological Service, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the National Council for Special Education, Third Level Colleges, Health Board Personnel, Teacher Unions and other relevant bodies and services.

The Deputy will also be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENO) for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support students with autism. The SENO will also consider applications from schools to establish special classes for students with autism. Another function of the NCSE is to disseminate to schools and parents, and such other persons as the NCSE considers appropriate, information relating to best practice concerning the education of children with special educational needs. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

The establishment of a network of autism-specific special classes in schools across the country to cater for children with autism has been a key educational priority in recent years. In excess of 370 classes have now been approved around the country, including 40 at post-primary level.