Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the Departmental circulars that govern the use of ABA-early intervention for education for children with ASD. [9741/14]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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74. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the use of ABA teaching methods for children with autism; his plans to expand same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9742/14]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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77. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 125 of 27 June 2013, the names of the international experts referred to in his reply and titles of their research papers and documents used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9745/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 74 and 77 together.

The Deputy will be aware from the response to previous parliamentary questions including the one to which he refers that my Department's policy is to promote a child-centred approach to the education of all children with special educational needs including those with autism. The preferred approach 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.

As each child with autism is unique they should have access to a range of different approaches to meet their individual needs. This facilitates access to individualised education programmes, fully qualified professional teachers who may draw from a range of autism-specific interventions, including Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Treatment and Education of Autistic Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) and Picture Exchange Communications System (PECS). My Department supports the use of ABA and training is provided for teachers in its use. However, my Department does not accept, based on research, advice and best practice, that ABA should be the only approach used. While ABA helps to improve behaviour, other approaches, such as TEACCH and PECS are just as important in developing children's communication and speech skills. It is important that children have access to a range of approaches so that their broader needs can be met. There is no specific circular governing the use of ABA.

My Department's child centred policy is based on advice received from NEPS; the Inspectorate and the report of the Irish Task Force on Autism and takes full account of advice from a range of international experts on autism, including persons with expertise and qualifications in ABA. The various contributors who have informed this policy are too numerous to mention but the Deputy may wish to note that the Task Force for Autism Report is available on my Department's website and includes a detailed bibliography.

The Deputy will also be aware that I have asked the NCSE to provide policy advice specifically on the educational provision for children with autism spectrum disorders. The NCSE has advised that the policy advice will be delivered in the spring of 2015 and will draw upon findings gathered from an extensive consultation process which has already commenced. The advice will also draw upon new research commissioned by the NCSE for this purpose as well as any other research which may be available and which the NCSE considers merits consideration. It will be open to all interested parties to contribute to the consultation process for the policy advice and I expect that the NCSE final report will reflect the broadest possible range of views and provide recommendations which will assist the development of policy for future years.