Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Health and Children his views regarding a strategy for autism in Ireland, including enhancing and enforcing the rights of persons with autism through necessary measures. [8940/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Executive is finalising a National Review of Autism Services following a recognised need to review and clarify at national level the direction of health service provision for individuals with Autism. A HSE led group has been set up to review and compare the learning from the current range of existing models of service delivery across the country, and to identify core principles of service delivery and standards of practice that will guide the national service model of the future. It is expected that the Review will lead to a greater level of standardisation in the way that services are delivered for people with autism and that it will be presented to the Health Service Executive Board in late 2011.

The Review will be considered by my Department in the context of Autism Policy which must address the needs of both children and adults with Autism. I have had informal discussions already with the Minister for Children and the Minister for Education with a view to a more coordinated approach to meet these needs.