Matt Shanahan: Calls to Speed Up Autism Diagnosis and Supports
Matt Shanahan spoke in support of a motion on autism, urging faster diagnosis and greater services for autistic children and adults. He argued the State must accelerate an autism innovation strategy and bring resources to families, schools and health services.
Prevalence and lifelong impact
He noted autism affects boys three times more often than girls and cited over 14,000 students with an autism diagnosis - one in 65 nationally. He emphasised autism is a lifelong condition that can affect education, careers, relationships and mental and physical wellbeing.
Barriers to diagnosis and services
He highlighted long waits and limited assessments in schools, saying teachers often get one or two evaluations a year and that is insufficient, particularly in early and primary school. He referenced the as I am study showing 42% of parents waited over two years for a diagnosis, 79% received no support from early intervention or school age going teams, and 70% were broadly dissatisfied with HSC supports.
Mental health and regression during COVID
He said 76% of respondents reported their autistic children were not receiving support from child and adult mental health services and that 40% of autistic children had regressed during COVID, underscoring gaps in therapeutic and mental health supports.
Local service changes and school supports
He raised disruption caused by changes to disability network teams in Waterford, describing Johnstown families told to access speech and language and occupational health services in Nongarvan almost 30 miles away and an expectation they may have to migrate to Dungarvan. He urged the minister and the Minister for Education to review SEN posts and SNA allocations, noting schools in Waterford are not receiving sufficient SNA numbers to support autistic pupils.
Financial strain and legislative call
He highlighted the cost burden on families, reporting 80% of those receiving carers' allowance found it insufficient and 61% of those on domiciliary care allowance said it did not cover costs. He said regional colleagues believe legislation should clearly affirm equal rights for autistic people and stressed that the proposed autism innovation strategy must be accelerated and properly resourced.
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Minister, I'm happy to join here with colleagues today to support this motion regarding autism and I know Minister that you're very proactive in this area but we know as a disability it affects boys are three times more likely to suffer than girls and in Ireland today there's over 14,000 students that have an autism diagnosis that's one in 65 nationally so it is quite prevalent. It is also a lifelong condition as has been highlighted and without significant support and coping mechanisms and self-education many sufferers can find their condition in habits, their career trajectory, their relationships and their general mental and physical well-being and it is at the extreme end of disability for sure Minister and this number of people have spoken here already about the difficulty in accessing a diagnosis of autism and I think this is where you're going with your autism and innovation strategy that has to be the first place that you have to go Minister there is extreme hardship out there and families who have been in the system for some time they see their kids regressing and the schools are equally frustrated I can tell you and teachers who have very little opportunity as you know under the system they get one or two evaluations a year and that's nothing like enough particularly in early school and primary school. I think we need to consider the incredible financial cost that families are having to bear as well as the impact to other siblings in the family so we must do something to try and accelerate the diagnosis of autism and then see how we can provide services to that. And just in terms of the disability network teams that you are announcing Minister to highlight to you this has caused quite a deal of trouble to a lot of families and in Waterford in particular we have a service in Johnstown Waterford and many of those families were written out to in recent months and told that they should start accessing speech and language services and occupational health services in Nongarvan almost 30 miles away. Yes, I understand that but I am highlighting that it has not been changed I think you gave them a year or a year and a half but the understanding is that they will have to migrate to Dungarvan. I would ask you to have a look at that. Is there more trust in schools? Is there any more trust in schools? Well, I thank you then for clarifying that Minister because I did not hear that clarity before and certainly people are still saying to me that that has not been clarified to them. And also I would ask you to look again and with the Minister for Education to look again at the number of SEN positions and SNAs. It is a significant problem across the board and again we have schools in Waterford area who are suffering because they are not getting additional SNA numbers and they have autistic children that they cannot really look after properly. Can I just read into the record if I may just some of the stats from the as I am study and I think that they say an awful lot about where we are Minister and what your strategy needs to address. 42% of parents and guardians having to wait over two years to receive an autism diagnosis for their child. 79% said they were not in receipt of any support from the early intervention or school age going teams. 70% broadly dissatisfied with HSC supports. 76% said that their autistic children were not receiving any support from the child and adult mental health services. 40% of respondents autistic children have regressed during COVID which we know. 80% of respondents who confirmed they were in receipt of either carers' allowance claimed it was insufficient. 61% of those on a domiciliary care allowance echoed similar feelings about the capacity to cover costs. So costs are a huge issue Minister. So I think we are all in agreement that we know autistic people need to be accepted as citizens in their own right and they need to be treated and have the opportunity to be treated equally. And we in the regional group believe that legislation should clearly articulate the understanding that autistic people should have the same rights as enjoyed by all other citizens. And indeed we believe a bill can significantly improve the position of that. But I accept, Minister, that you have asked for time this morning in terms of progressing your own autism innovation strategy. But I think we as a State must no longer delay now in accelerating autism and implementing innovations around this to provide the required supports. So many campaigners have long highlighted what is required. So many people in the medical space and in the mental health space have highlighted what is required, Minister. I hope that under this new strategy that you are proposing that we will finally see the resources being brought to bear where they are most needed. I'm not really interested. Thank you. Thank you very much, Your Honor per WhatsApp. I appreciate you. Well, your four目 will be closing in the contents of this schedule. Thank you very much, not great. Thank you very much, Vicente Cavar Office Lancer. Thank you very much, Your Honor for it. Thank you, our Lyric has turned away Office of gerade Communications plans. Thank you very much, guy. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Your Honor Holien. Thank you very much. Right, Your Honor کر Gamular, who you tá чего afected. Thank you very much, Governor Hoover Matte. Thank you very much, not true. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Really hard to say a Monetary 돼요,
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