Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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106. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the recent engagement his Department has had with other Government Departments and Ministers to progress the full rollout of the autism protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19132/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Autism Assessment and Intervention Protocol has been developed by the HSE through extensive consultation with people with lived experience of Autism as well as multidisciplinary input from the professions involved in Autism assessment and interventions.

The Protocol facilitates practitioners to match the extent of assessment undertaken to the complexity of presentation of Autism and possible co-occurring conditions.

It recognises three Tiers of assessment:

• Tier-1 Autism Assessment
• Tier-2 Autism Differential Assessment
• Tier-3 Autism Extended Assessment
• Each tier allows the clinician to determine the presence of Autism/Autistic traits.
• The HSE advises that the Protocol has now been piloted across 4 CHOs over the last 18 months, with circa 200 service users participating, including children, adolescents and adults.
• The independent evaluation of the Intermediate Phase is due to commence Q2 2024. This in-depth and independent analysis is crucial to ensure that the needs of autistic people are being appropriately addressed by the new Protocol. The HSE informs me that a draft report for consultation with stakeholders is expected around the end of Q3, 2024.
• This report will allow for colleagues across Government to view and examine the detail of the evaluation and input on same.
• Depending on the outcome of this evaluation, the HSE has indicated it would aim for wider engagement on the Protocol across primary care, disability and mental health services, as well as further consideration through the HSE Clinical Forum.