Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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342. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that based on his previous statement that it is a matter for schools to determine the approach or mix of approaches they will use when educating children with autism, if a school team were to decide to use a range of techniques from applied behaviour analysis literature, including a mix of discrete trial training, natural environment teaching, functional communication training, environmental accommodations and visual schedules, this would be regarded as consistent with his Department's policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13452/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As I previously advised the Deputy my Department's policy favours a child centred approach to the education of children with special educational needs. As each child with autism is unique, they should have access to a range of different approaches to meet their individual needs, with access facilitated to individualised education programmes and fully qualified professional teachers who may draw from a range of autism specific interventions.

Such interventions include Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Treatment and Education of Autistic Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).

The exclusive use by a school of any one intervention would not be consistent with my Department's policy.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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343. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that the only person involved in Irish Task Force on Autism report who had professional qualifications in ABA is a person (details supplied); if this is the person he was referring to in his reply of 26 of February 2014; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this person has criticised his Department's interpretation of the task force's report with regard to the provision on ABA services to children with autism. [13453/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As I previously advised in the PQ response to which the Deputy refers, 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. I did not refer to any particular individual but noted that the various contributors who have informed this policy are numerous.

The Task Force which was set up in 2000 comprised a combination of parents, education and health professionals, advocates and researchers. I am aware that the member to whom the Deputy refers has a professional qualification in ABA, however I do not have sufficient information available to me to state definitively the she is the only member with such a qualification. I am also aware that the member in question subsequently engaged publically on the development of the policy.

The Deputy will be aware that I have asked the NCSE to provide policy advice 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.