Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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247. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to implement the policy advice of the NCSE, National Council for Special Education, regarding children with autism; if he will implement all the recommendations of the report; the timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16203/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Policy Advice on Autism was formally launched by the NCSE on 15th July 2016.  The report acknowledges that there has been substantial investment in the education of students with autism over the 14 years since the publication of the last major report on autism in 2001.  The reports sets out 11 recommendations for further improvement and outlines associated actions to give effect to its recommendations. 

The Department has convened an Implementation Group with representatives of the NCSE, NEPS, the Inspectorate and external representatives to ensure that the Report’s recommendations are fully and appropriately considered and that a timetable for implementation is prepared.  The NCSE estimates that implementing the school based recommendations in the report will cost an additional €20m per annum.

The work of the Implementation Group is ongoing. It is expected that the implementation group will consult fully with relevant stakeholders on the implementation of recommendations.