Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all of our guests and thank them very much for their opening statements, which have been very insightful and have raised a number of questions which Deputy Ó Cathasaigh has referred to. I have a couple of follow-on questions.

One of my weekly or even daily tasks I have is dealing with families who want to build a room for their autistic loved one. One of the big issues we come up against is local authorities and the provision of such facilities for those people. Is this something the AOTI has come across and how can we encourage local authorities to provide the funding to reflect the importance of this provision, because the creation of such rooms has made a terrific difference for the families I have dealt with, to their loved ones, and to the quality of life of that individual. Perhaps this is something the association has come up against. Funding is an issue I have raised at this committee before and I ask the association to comment on that and the importance of it.

The association also mentioned in its opening statement the importance of autism-friendly towns and it referred to Clonakilty. This is something we have spoken about with AsIAm, whose representatives have appeared before the committee at various meetings we have had with them. Can I have a comment, please, on the importance of that and of training for individuals in shops, community centres etc.? That is something this committee would like to see developed further, together with the importance of having autism-friendly towns throughout the State and not just in the specific town mentioned by the association or in the others that are trying to be so at the moment? I am asking about a general State policy on autism-friendly towns and how the association would feel that would work throughout the State.

Regarding speech and language therapy, I thank the witnesses for the work done. To take up the point made by Deputy Ó Cathasaigh, how bad is the situation at present? I ask this because, unfortunately, I am contacted weekly and almost daily about this issue by people who cannot access services. Ms Lawlor mentioned there was no consultation with staff, as was the issue of their pay and conditions. How bad is the situation regarding accessing services now? I refer to the front-line services being provided by speech and language therapists. This is a major issue for families and I deal with it regularly.

Regarding AONs, and this question is for Dr. Higgins, I had a Commencement matter in the Seanad last week with the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities, during which I was told that where I live in County Kildare, 2,665 people are waiting for an AON in that area alone. I have raised the issue of the need for this piece of paper continually with the Minister of State. How important is it in the overall sense of gaining access to services and getting in front of a clinician? When representatives of the HSE appeared before us, they were at pains to point out that an assessment of need was not needed for clinicians to make an assessment. Daily and weekly, however, families tell me this is not the case. The Minister of State also said this is not the case. From Dr. Higgins's perspective, how important is this assessment and piece of paper in accessing services and, most importantly, the right services?