This article is from page 14 of the 2006-07-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
THE much-anticipated Kilrush Autism Unit is in doubt two months before it is due to open.
The specialised unit planned for the grounds of St Senan’s Primary School in the West Clare capital is currently in the planning process. It was hoped that planning would be received for at least temporary accommodation within the next two months.
But Clare TD Pat Breen has warned that the unit in Kilrush looks very doubtful for this September, because there are no qualified personnel available.
“Meanwhile the establishment of an Ennis-based learning centre of excellence for children with autism has still not been sanctioned by the Department (of education),” he said.
The Fine Gael TD also accused Education Minister Mary Hanafin of disregarding children with autism, following her decision to cut home tuition grants for such cases.
Last week The Clare People highlighted the plight of parents of children with autism who struggle to receive essential services for their children, and the added suffering the removal of this service would have on their children.
One family from Carrigaholt told how the service was withdrawn from their eight-year-old child without any warning. Little Isabelle Séquin is now facing primary school without the extra tuition, having already lost her speech therapy.
Speaking in the Dáil on behalf of Minister Hanafin, Junior Minister Tim O’Malley said the newly established National Council for Special Education was working across the country to ensure that new services were put in place where needed.
“The decision to discontinue the home tuition grant was on the basis that the educational needs of these pupils can be best met in their individual schools,” Minister O’Malley added.
Deputy Breen accused the Minister of having an institutional approach to the issue.
“That family has been in contact with me and it is clear that not all the supports can be provided in a school setting. The schools do an excellent job with their limited resources. But they do not have the specialised personnel to cope with a child with autism in the midst of a classroom of 30 children” he said.
The deputy added it was a disgraceful indictment of the Department’s performance that it had spent €11.7 million on legal costs and settlements relating to educational provision for children with special needs in the three years to 2005.
The vast majority of the cases relate to children with autism.