Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason €70 million was spent on the ABA pilot school, but no research was undertaken by him or the National Council for Special Education to evaluate the school's effectiveness; the reason he cannot produce a list of the evidence and advice he received regarding the policy on the education of children with autism (details supplied). [38327/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware my Department's policy on autism strives to ensure that a continuum of special education provision is available as required for children with special educational needs. In line with this approach the policy is to promote a child-centred approach to education of all children with special educational needs including those with autism. As each child with autism is unique they should have access to a range of different approaches to meet their individual needs.

Children with autism present with a wide range of needs. Some children are capable of being fully integrated into mainstream schools without additional teaching or care supports. Others are able to attend mainstream schools but need additional teaching and/or care assistance. Many are best enrolled in autism-specific classes where more intensive and supportive interventions are required. Some may move from one setting to another as they get older and differing needs/strengths/abilities emerge.

The preferred policy of my Department is that children with autism are educated in school settings where children may have access to individualised education programmes (IEPs), fully-qualified professional teachers, special needs assistants, the appropriate school curriculum with the option, where possible and appropriate, of full or partial integration and interaction with other pupils. This approach promotes the maximum level of inclusion which accords with the intent of the EPSEN Act. While some children may be able to attend a mainstream class, for others the most appropriate provision may be in a special class or unit in the school or in a special school.

This policy is based on advice received from international experts on autism, NEPS, the Inspectorate and the report of the Irish Task Force on Autism. In arriving at the preferred policy which is currently in place, my Department has considered published research, including the Report of the Task Force on Autism (2001) and the Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (2006), both of which are available on my Department's website. My Department was also mindful of contributions of many others experts at international conferences/visits.

My Department supports some 450 special classes for autism attached to mainstream and special schools and 18 special schools for children with autism throughout the State which cater for the educational needs of some 5,000 children with autism.

The Deputy refers to the ABA pilot scheme which was funded by my Department for the past decade. The pilot scheme included 13 centres which were funded annually. In the last full year of the scheme, prior to the grant of recognition of the schools, the full cost of the scheme was approximately €11m which covered the costs of the 13 centres.

The pilot scheme was established in the absence of a network of school-based special classes for children with autism which is now available. The establishment of this 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. All 13 of the centres which participated in the pilot scheme have been granted recognition as special schools for children with autism. These schools will operate in line with my Department's policy. Following their recognition the new schools are currently progressing well in the transitional phase.

My Department's Inspectorate carried out an evaluation of all educational provision for children with autistic spectrum disorders some years ago. A copy of this report is available on my Department's website ww.education.gov.ie. Part of this review evaluated the centres funded under the ABA pilot Scheme.