An Autism Empowerment Strategy proposed by Sinn Féin will be voted on in the Dáil this evening, marking the 12th World Autism Awareness Day. Many families of children with autism and autistic adults will join us in the gallery this evening to, hopefully, see the passing of this motion.
The motion’s main objective is to achieve agreement on a cross-party basis to set up an Oireachtas All-Party Committee which will be tasked with finally delivering an Autism Empowerment Strategy for Ireland.
This motion which is being tabled by my collegues, Deputies Kathleen Funchion and Caoimhghín O’Caoláin, has been developed from many months of outreach and engagement with families, campaign groups, schools and autism stakeholders which I have been deeply involved in.
I want to sincerely thank all the families from Mayo who have shared their experiences with me over the months. I want them to know that their voices are being heard and we are working to achieve their rights to equality, education, healthcare, employment, housing and full participation in all aspects of society.”
The motion calls for:
— An All-Party Oireachtas Committee on Autism to be set up in the immediate term;
— This committee to be tasked with developing and publishing a comprehensive Autism Empowerment Strategy within a six month period;
— The Committee to be mandated to hear directly from autistic people and their families;
— The Minister for Health Simon Harris TD to publish the findings of the Review of Operational Effectiveness of Existing Health Services’ Responses in Addressing the Particular Needs of Those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, which was to be published in September 2017, in advance of the All-Party Oireachtas Committee being set up;
— Legislation to be drafted and introduced to compliment and underpin the publishing of an Autism Empowerment Strategy and to give this strategy statutory footing;
— The establishment of a multi-disciplinary Task Force including autistic individuals and or their family members to oversee the rollout of an Autism Empowerment Strategy and monitor legislative oversight;
— A review of NCSE policy with regard to provision of Autism classes at primary and post-primary level;
— A consultation with disability groups and educational stakeholders on the full implementation of the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004, with a view to full implementation, would be undertaken at the earliest opportunity;
— An urgent review of supports available for autistic adults throughout the life cycle
— That an all-island approach would be attributed to the development of any strategy, noting the positive work that the Middletown Centre for Autism has contributed to autism services since its establishment in 2007 as a body funded by both North and South institutions
