30 June 2005 Edition
Government fails autism families
Sinn Féin joins forces with Autism familes
Sinn Féin MEPs Mary Lou McDonald and Bairbre de Brún, along with party health spokespersons Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD and John O'Dowd MLA, joined forces with autism campaigners last week to demand greater support for families caring for children with autism.
Campaigners, parents and autism support groups from across Ireland travelled to the European Parliament in Brussels at the invitation of Mary Lou McDonald. A total of 24 delegates representing ten autism NGOs made the trip, including representatives from the Northeast Autism Support Group, Dochas, ICARE, PEAT (Parents Education as Autism Therapists), Irish Society for Autism, Grá, Laois-Offaly Families with Autism, Parents and Professional and Autism (PAPA), European Disability Forum and HOPE.
Campaigners met with a representative from the European Commission and with a number of Irish MEPs.
"We highlighted the inequities in both Education and Health for people with Autism in Ireland. We also detailed how there is clear discrimination in accessing services," said Jennie Farrelly, chairperson of the North Eastern Autism Support Group.
"If the Government had tried to implement more of the Task Force Recommendations on Autism report it released in October 2001, many parents would not currently be using the judicial system for services and supports. The government needs to act now to save future governments money on long term Institutional care for people with autism."
"Today's discussions with the autism campaigners followed a depressingly clear pattern," said Mary Lou McDonald. "All told stories about state neglect, lack of support and woefully inadequate provision of essential services. It is apparent that the Irish Government is failing those families who are caring for children with autism. The situation in the Six Counties is equally bleak. The fact that 24 delegates have travelled from Ireland to seek support from the European Parliament is a clear indication that they are receiving inadequate support at home.
"The Irish Government has a fundamental responsibility to ensure support and the provision of services, yet the state has no adequate autism-specific facilities. The All-Ireland Autism Centre was declared open in September 2004, yet continues to lie unused in Middletown, County Armagh because of administration problems. Does this represent the level of British and Irish commitment to the issue of autism?"