Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 270: To ask the Minister for Health if the following will be considered in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3095/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Health James Reilly TD announced the allocation of €1m in additional funding to address the needs of children with autism this year, with a further €1m following over each of the next two years - €3m in total. This funding, which will be reflected in the HSE's Service Plan for 2012, will be focussed on addressing waiting times for specialist therapy services for children who have been diagnosed with autism and on developing Early Intervention Teams.

While the additional funding is being allocated to address existing waiting lists and ensure that children with autism receive the supports they require to achieve their full potential, it is not possible to say at this stage how long any individual child will spend on waiting lists for assessment or intervention.

As the Deputy's question relates in part to service matters, I have referred the Deputy's question to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.