Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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958. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a schedule of waiting lists, to include banded waiting times, in the CDNT in north Kildare for occupational therapy, psychology, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and dietetics. [23498/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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959. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the status of the autism innovation fund; whether there is funding put aside for it in 2025; the means by which organisations can draw down that funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23507/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Autism Innovation Strategy was approved by Government in July 2024 and subsequently published on 26 August 2024. Action 4 of the Strategy commits to the establishment of an Autism Innovation Fund. The aim of this Fund is twofold:

1. To provide funding for innovative projects, initiatives and activities designed to support and empower autistic people around Ireland, and
2. To support research which aims to increase our understanding of Autism and autistic people, particularly where research aims to fill a gap in data or knowledge concerning the rights of autistic people. This could include in intersectional contexts, such as the experiences of autistic people with other identities, including gender, migrant, LGBTQI+, Traveller and Roma identities, and so forth, or on better understanding issues like the experiences of autistic people who experience Domestic or Gender Based Violence.