Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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61. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 9 April 2014, if he will provide the specific peer reviewed research that supports and demonstrates the effectiveness of the treatment and education of autistic communication handicapped children approach; and if more than one specific piece of research was used as reference, if he will provide a list of same. [19820/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As I outlined to the Deputy previously in a response to a Parliamentary Question of 9 April 2014, there is not an individual specific piece of research that supports and demonstrates the effectiveness of any one approach to the education of children with autism or my Department's child–centred policy on the education of children with special educational needs including autism.

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. The various contributors who have informed this policy and a list of their research 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.

As the Deputy is aware the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is currently preparing Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The NCSE has advised my Department 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.

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.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 9 April 2014, if all recommendations outlined in the report on the Irish Task Force on Autism 2001 were implemented. [19821/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy the Task Force on Autism made many recommendations concerning broad educational provision for children on the autistic spectrum from preschool through to third level. These recommendations provided a basis for the development of educational services and supports for children with autism including the establishment of a range of options for children with autism spectrum disorders, training for teachers in autism-specific approaches and interventions and early educational intervention.

In responding to the recommendations, my Department has given priority to implementing the core legislative and structural measures required to underpin service development and delivery. Many recommendations but not all have been implemented.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 52 of 9 April 2014, in relation to communications referred to by him with the Division TEACCH in the University of North Carolina, USA, the names of the persons who have been contacted representing the Division TEACCH; and if any reports-policy documents-meeting minutes and so on are available in relation to any communication between the SESS and Division TEACCH. [19822/14]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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64. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 52 of 9 April 2014, as he has stated that the SESS works with Division TEACCH in the University of North Carolina, USA, in relation to the TEACCH approach two day teacher courses offered by the SESS, if the SESS worked with any university or advisory body in relation to the course they offer to teachers in ABA. [19823/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 64 together.

Policy on the programmes, interventions and supports for children in education is a matter for my Department. Decisions in this regard are informed by research and advices received covering a range of matters including pedagogy, school curriculum, special needs and child development. The role of the SESS is to attend to the training needs of teachers on foot of these decisions.

In selecting and developing suitable programmes, the service is guided by advices from my Department, aegis bodies of the Department where appropriate, relevant research and best practice. My Department is satisfied that research does not support the exclusive usage of any one approach as a basis for national educational provision for children with autism. It is for this reason that the preferred policy is for a child centred approach based on the individual child's needs. It is important that children have access to a range of approaches so that their broader needs can be met. While ABA helps to improve behaviour, other approaches, such as Treatment and Education of Autistic Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) and Picture Exchange Communications System (PECS) are just as important in developing children's communication and speech skills. SESS engages annually with the Director of TEACCH Autism Program TEACCH provider - University of North Carolina, USA to provide access to teachers in Ireland to either a two-day or five-day TEACCH course. Teachers attend for training as required. The SESS has developed the Contemporary Applied Behaviour Analysis (C-ABA) Course under the direction of Dr Patsy Daly. This course provides an introduction to ABA for practicing teachers in special education settings in Irish schools. The course trains teachers to 'design, implement and evaluate' interventions to change the behaviour of students in their care. This course is accredited within the context of the Post-Graduate Certificate/Diploma of Continuing Professional Development for Teachers working with Students with Special Educational Needs (Autism) by the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG).