Written answers

Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Department of Health

Disability Diagnoses

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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866. To ask the Minister for Health if a directive has issued that the Health Service Executive can disregard the professional diagnosis of autism and therefore deprive children of access to services or an appropriate education. [19340/14]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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867. To ask the Minister for Health if there has been a policy change whereby the Health Service Executive will not furnish a written diagnosis to parents which can be used by them in seeking appropriate extra support services in relation to their child's schooling. [19341/14]

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 866 and 867 together. There has been no policy change in relation to the matters raised by the Deputy. In respect of those children eligible to apply for an assessment under the Disability Act 2005, the Act gives the child with a disability the right to an assessment of their needs. In relation to health services, the intention of the Assessment of Need process is to identify the health needs resulting from the child’s disability. The role of health clinicians is to carry out a diagnostic or other assessment of a child where this is clinically indicated as being required from a health point of view, based on their experience and qualifications. While the allocation of educational supports or services is ultimately a matter for the Department of Education and Skills, there is an agreement in place between the sectors that reports prepared under the Assessment of Need process by health clinicians (be they diagnostic or otherwise) are made available to schools.

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