Tuesday, February 12, 2008

FG Private Members Motion on Autistic Children-Worthy of Government support

Autism is a neurological condition in which a child is unable to relate to people and situations. It first emerges in early childhood, when the child is first developing social and interpersonal skills. It is a rare condition affecting approximately five people out of every 10,000. Seventy per cent of people with autism are male. Physically there is nothing wrong with people who have autism, and this can make diagnosis difficult. However, most autistic children will have been diagnosed by the age of three.....(irishhealth.com )

Unfortunately facilities for the diagnosis and treatment of autism in Ireland lag far behind those of other advanced economies. Parents who resort to court action-in an effort to secure redress-face the might of the state and possible bankruptcy. Cian and Yvonne Ó Cuanacháin took a case to the High Court in an effort to force the state to provide Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) schooling for their son Sean and for other children. The High Court found against them.
About 150 similar cases have been lodged.

Today FG introduced a private members motion in the Dail to address this issue. Speaking during Private Members' Business in the Dáil this evening (Tuesday), Fine Gael Education Spokesman, Brian Hayes TD, said that children with autism need Applied Bahavioural Analysis (ABA) expanded ....

"The parents of Seán O'Cuanacháin and the parents of children with autism everywhere want one thing and one thing only for their child: justice. However, instead of receiving this, these parents have been dragged through the courts and the educational needs of their children have not been met.


"No one is suggesting that the ABA model is the only model for all children with autism. ABA is one of a number of educational approaches and has proven to be an extraordinarily effective method for lots of autistic children, with many eventually moving on to mainstream primary schools. But this model of mainstreaming - that the Minister refuses to budge on - does not work for all children with autism......

"There is currently no means of appeal for parents other than pursuing their child's right to educational services through the courts. As the O'Cuanacháin case showed the Department of Education prefers to wrestle parents through the courts rather then provide the necessary services. It is a David and Goliath contest. I want a guarantee from the Minister that any third party costs arising from the recent case, which fall on the O'Cuanchain's, will be met in full by the State and I demand that an appeals system is instituted without further delay".

I move that Dáil Eireann:
- Accepting that the current system of assessment for children with autism is inadequate - Noting the co-author of the report of the Government Taskforce on Autism has suggested the Department of Education's policy on education for autistic children is misguided


- Considering that the lack of a suitable appeals process leaves parents with no option other than to pursue education services for their children through the courts

- Acknowledging the Government's delay in implementing the EPSEN Act 2004 to provide appropriate education services for children with special needs

- Noting the Government's refusal to change its policy to consider funding for new ABA centres despite a clear demand for ABA services countrywide

-Considering the Government's failure to improve coordination between education and health services in supporting children with special needs despite promises in the Programme for Government 2007 to do so
Calls on the Government to:


- Lay any evidence before the House which supports the suggestion that the current system of education provision for autistic children is suitable for all children, even those with moderate to severe autism who have been recommended one-to-one tuition

- Make specific education services available to autistic children where it has been recommended by psychologists, without delay

- Introduce the outstanding provisions of the EPSEN Act 2004 according to the NCSE's proposed timescale for implementation

- Commit to funding the existing 12 ABA centres in their current format

- Expand the current ABA pilot scheme of 12 centres to accommodate other projects of a similar nature where they are needed

- Recognise the qualifications of psychologists currently working in ABA centres

- Honour its Programme for Government commitment and institute an appeals system without further delay

- Ensure Speech and Language Therapy and Behavioural Therapy is made available to all schools with autistic children in attendance

- Immediately move to enhance cooperation between the Department of Education and Health to ensure children with special needs receive adequate support in all aspects of their lives from an early age..............."

In one of the richest countries in the world it is no longer acceptable that highly stressed parents must fight in the courts to ensure that autistic children's rights are recognised. Interestingly the Green Party as usual has wrestled with its conscience and lost. The Government must allow a free vote in the Dail as this is an issue of conscience.

Of course it could accept the FG motion. Unfortunately this will not happen. There are few votes in autism. Who -in government circles - is prepared to stand up and be counted?

The Government will vote down the FG motion. FG as the party of the Just Society must intensify the pressure on this issue until a satisfactory resolution is found.


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