Autism

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Autism

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Fiona*, a mother to an autistic child, told the ‘Irish Examiner’: ‘I am not an outlier. I don’t know what it would have been like if I had known he was autistic when this started, but somebody should have picked up on the signs.’ Picture: iStock</p>

comment-analysis

'All the advice about having rhythms and routines — none made any difference' for child avoiding school

After two years of engaging with welfare services and being threatened with prosecution over her son’s school avoidance, a mother was told there were no autism class places available when he got his diagnosis, says Jess Casey

<p>Dr Fidelma Brady, head of education with Down Syndrome Ireland, told the committee how children with Down syndrome are currently 'invisible' in policy making, official data, and decision making when it comes to education. File photo</p>

politics

Mother of child with Down syndrome had to move homes to be near school with special class

<p>The average waiting time for assessment of need is now 27 months, the national autism charity AsIAm warned earlier this month. File picture</p>

news

Autism protocol to tackle long delays for assessment of need still not rolled out, HSE says

Parents devastated as special classes for children with additional needs delayed until 2027

news

Parents devastated as special classes for children with additional needs delayed until 2027

Closure of Cork special school must be 'catalyst for necessary change'

munster

Closure of Cork special school must be 'catalyst for necessary change'

Diary of an autistic prisoner: 'I only had two showers in four weeks'

spotlight

Diary of an autistic prisoner: 'I only had two showers in four weeks'

'No cuts to SNA numbers': Controversial review paused following backlash

'No cuts to SNA numbers': Controversial review paused following backlash

Education minister Hildegarde Naughton confirmed in a statement that there will be 'no cuts to SNA numbers'

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

'It’s simply not possible': Cork principal hits out at SNA cuts

'It’s simply not possible': Cork principal hits out at SNA cuts

Education Correspondent Jess Casey hears from parents and teachers about their fears amid NCSE review of special needs assistants

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

Inclusive Cork school left waiting for autism classes — as parents fund new sensory space

Inclusive Cork school left waiting for autism classes — as parents fund new sensory space

Scoil Eoin in Ballincollig has yet to get funds for three autism spectrum disorder classes already sanctioned by the NCSE

Mon, 16 Feb, 2026

Trevor O'Neill: ‘My autism diagnosis felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders’

Trevor O'Neill: ‘My autism diagnosis felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders’

Midleton-based Trevor O’Neill describes two key moments that led to him gaining a sense of purpose and of himself — and the confidence to see things through

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Preschool Children Playing Music Using Various Colorful Instruments

Autistic girls four times less likely to get childhood diagnosis than boys, study finds

Researchers found by the age of 20, diagnosis rates of men and women were almost equal, challenging previous assumptions autism is more common among males

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

School children in classroom

Several autism classes waiting for dedicated buildings

At least two primary schools approved to set up autism classes last September have yet to open buildings for their students

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

Royal High School

Autistic girl's family told to seek special school place in other counties

Autistic girl's mother, Áine Curtin, says: 'It's not just me... They have kids getting on buses in Cork and going to schools in Kerry'

Mon, 19 Jan, 2026

NCSE refusal leaves non-verbal autistic boy without access to special education

NCSE refusal leaves non-verbal autistic boy without access to special education

Family says delayed Camhs assessment left them unable to meet a newly introduced NCSE deadline for special school eligibility

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

'No school forever': The kids from Rainbow Club Cork on what they want for Christmas

'No school forever': The kids from Rainbow Club Cork on what they want for Christmas

'A nicer world for our children to live in' was another request to Santa Claus and Daidí na Nollag from children with disabilities or their parents in letters from across Munster and Dublin shared with the Irish Examiner

Tue, 23 Dec, 2025

Reducing assessment of need waiting lists 'will not happen overnight', warns minister

Reducing assessment of need waiting lists 'will not happen overnight', warns minister

Cabinet today sanctioned the formation of 11 new expert teams, and a new HSE autism pathway is due to enter operation in February.

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

Cara Darmody: What use is a recruitment campaign nobody knows about?

Cara Darmody: What use is a recruitment campaign nobody knows about?

The Government's inaction on assessments of needs is shameful. Promises have been made, but they are already being broken, writes Cara Darmody

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

Autism spectrum disorder ASD written on a paper.

Government yet to make substantial progress on autism recommendations

There are still aspects of life for autistic people where problems remain, a new report has said

Thu, 20 Nov, 2025

Ofsted inspection report

Children facing 'wall of indefinite waiting' for therapies, warns Inclusion Ireland

The number of assessments of need has increased by 54%, but the most pressing issue for families is the "subsequent failure" to deliver services, the group stated.

Tue, 18 Nov, 2025

Donald Trump paracetamol autism link claims

Evidence ‘does not show clear link between paracetamol, autism and ADHD’

Researchers trawled all studies on the issue and concluded they were low quality, with “low to critically low” confidence in any findings suggesting a link

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Parents take children to school. Crowd of happy students walk with family. Mother, father and kids with bags go back to school v

Special education: Number of early intervention classes falls in some counties

New data shows that 18 counties have either seen a reduction or no increase in the number of such classes since 2023

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

Dáil told of 'clear school culture' of suspensions at Cork special school

Dáil told of 'clear school culture' of suspensions at Cork special school

Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide told the Dáil the cultural issues within the school are 'clearly at odds with the rights of children'

Wed, 15 Oct, 2025

Autistic girl has three different teachers in a month at Cork special school with suspensions 'crisis'

Autistic girl has three different teachers in a month at Cork special school with suspensions 'crisis'

The girl's mother said: 'I feel now she’s gone very into herself again, a lot of anxiety, a lot of upset, which then is leading to the challenging behaviours.'

Wed, 15 Oct, 2025

Cork special school planned to cut student days amid ‘critical’ staffing crisis

Cork special school planned to cut student days amid ‘critical’ staffing crisis

St Gabriel’s Special School in Bishopstown says an SNA shortage has created unsafe conditions

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025

flu medicine at DrugSmart pharmacy at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., on Monday Feb. 1, 2016.

ieExplains: Is Tylenol the same as paracetamol and does it have links to autism?

US president’s claims around painkiller also known as Tylenol contradict scientific consensus

Wed, 24 Sep, 2025

Donald Trump

Experts slam Trump's 'false and dangerous' claims linking paracetamol in pregnancy to autism

Irish doctors, autism advocates and EU regulators unite to reject Donald Trump’s unfounded claim linking paracetamol to autism

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Donald Trump

Trump attacks paracetamol as officials unveil highly contentious conclusions on autism

US president Donald Trump says acetaminophen – also known as paracetamol - increases risk when taken by pregnant women, assertion contradicted by research

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Little 7 years schoolboy going to school.

Suspensions ‘crisis’ at flagship special school in Cork

One parent says Carrigaline Community Special School — for children from 4 to 18 with a dual diagnosis of autism and intellectual disability — handed out suspensions 'like confetti'

Sun, 21 Sep, 2025

Outrage as Danny Healy-Rae links autism to ‘lack of vitamins’ in Dáil debate

Outrage as Danny Healy-Rae links autism to ‘lack of vitamins’ in Dáil debate

Autistic advocate and parents have condemned Danny Healy-Rae’s Dáil remarks suggesting autism may be caused by vitamin deficiency

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025

HSE to hire more dentists after 'unacceptable' delay in care for autistic boy in Waterford

HSE to hire more dentists after 'unacceptable' delay in care for autistic boy in Waterford

Tiernan Power Murphy, aged 7, was told of a 10-year wait for specialist dental care as he needs to go under general anaesthetic

Mon, 08 Sep, 2025

Autism group in Cork forced to stop accepting new members due to lack of space

Autism group in Cork forced to stop accepting new members due to lack of space

Cork’s Rainbow Club's staff and volunteers will now concentrate on their existing 1,352 members, who will not be affected by the decision

Sat, 30 Aug, 2025

SEND support

‘One in four parents view education system as inclusive for autistic pupils’

Only one in four parents and just over a third of teachers view the Irish education system as inclusive for autistic pupils, research suggests.

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

Autistic Waterford boy ‘in great form’ after delayed dental appointment but many more still waiting

Autistic Waterford boy ‘in great form’ after delayed dental appointment but many more still waiting

Taoiseach intervened after family told the 'Irish Examiner' earlier this year about the 10-year wait for treatment the boy faced

Sun, 17 Aug, 2025

'I can be around people and feel like I am alone': Autistic adults report feeling lonely and isolated

'I can be around people and feel like I am alone': Autistic adults report feeling lonely and isolated

Survey for charity AsIAm found just over half feel lonely all or most of the time, with 69% saying they feel 'left out of society'

Wed, 13 Aug, 2025

Parents in Youghal campaign for new type of school for autistic children

Parents in Youghal campaign for new type of school for autistic children

Bridging the Gap Youghal estimates there are almost 100 pupils attending autism classes in primary schools across the East Cork and West Waterford region

Tue, 12 Aug, 2025

Boy playing with the interactive board

Oireachtas Committee hears of autistic boy offered psychology appointment in Cork in 2030

The National Disability Authority's head of policy Dr Rosalyn Tamming a review of staffing is needed ahead of the HSE's introduction of a single point of entry referrals by October

Wed, 25 Jun, 2025

Autism therapy

Parents panic after new autism classes delayed: 'I have nothing to fall back on'

Corpus Christi National School in Dublin is due to enrol 12 students following plans to convert existing parish hall

Sat, 14 Jun, 2025

Disability activist Cara Darmody claims law being broken as children 'left to rot' on waiting lists

Disability activist Cara Darmody claims law being broken as children 'left to rot' on waiting lists

A schoolgirl who has held protests outside the Dáil for better autism services has claimed the Government is "blatantly" breaking the law and "permanently damaging children".

Wed, 11 Jun, 2025

Rosie O'Donnell to perform in two back-to-back comedy shows in Dublin ahead of 3Olympia gig

Rosie O'Donnell to perform in two back-to-back comedy shows in Dublin ahead of 3Olympia gig

US comedian and activist to support autism charity AsIAm with special appearances at Dublin’s Sin É this June.

Sat, 07 Jun, 2025

Sinn Féin: Changes to legislation for assessments of need would 'reward State failure'

Sinn Féin: Changes to legislation for assessments of need would 'reward State failure'

Micheál Martin told the Dáil he believes legislative change is needed to enable therapists to provide service to children more quickly

Tue, 20 May, 2025

Assessment of needs system backlog

Cara Darmody begins 50-hour protest to highlight disability assessment delays

The Tipperary teenager protests at Leinster House, demanding action as disability assessment delays near 25,000 cases

Tue, 20 May, 2025

Government can't treat 'abandoned' children on assessment list like political football, say TDs

Government can't treat 'abandoned' children on assessment list like political football, say TDs

There are currently more than 15,000 children whose assessment of need is overdue, meaning they cannot access vital health services for their conditions

Tue, 20 May, 2025

Assessments of need waiting list

Disability Act 'systemically broken' by assessment of need delays, says autism campaigner

In response to a parliamentary question from Labour TD Alan Kelly, the HSE said demand for the assessments continues to outstrip system capacity

Mon, 19 May, 2025

Cara's fund: Government 'must clear backlog of assessments for children with disabilities'

Cara's fund: Government 'must clear backlog of assessments for children with disabilities'

Sinn Féin, Labour, Social Democrats, People Before Profit, and Independent Ireland demand urgent funding to clear AON backlog to coincide with Cara Dermody's vigil

Thu, 15 May, 2025

School stock

Autism charity welcomes moves to tackle special class policies which block children with greatest needs

Charity AsIAm said report by the Department of Education’s Inspectorate confirmed school admission policies 'disproportionately affect autistic students with higher levels of support needs'

Thu, 08 May, 2025

Cara Darmody

Tipp schoolgirl Cara Darmody to mount 50-hour protest outside the Dáil for better autism services

Cara Darmody, who has two brothers with severe autism, plans to hold the protest outside the Dáil over two days from 10am on May 20

Wed, 16 Apr, 2025

Boy, 13, awarded €1.8m interim payment over circumstances of his birth at Tipperary hospital

Boy, 13, awarded €1.8m interim payment over circumstances of his birth at Tipperary hospital

The case will come back before the courts in 2032 when the future care needs of the boy, who has autism, will be decided

Thu, 10 Apr, 2025

Alpaca therapeutic service for care home, in Ireland

'The impact is really positive': Irish farmer brings alpaca therapy to nursing homes and schools

A decade after ditching his office job for farming, 64-year-old 'Alpaca Joe' has found a new job for his herd of 71 woolly South American camelids: animal therapy for the elderly and people with additional needs

Wed, 26 Mar, 2025

Department provides new special school in Cork with temporary plot until permanent site ready

Department provides new special school in Cork with temporary plot until permanent site ready

Capacity at other existing special schools is also being 'significantly' increased for the 2025/26 school year to accommodate children who have yet to receive an offer of a school place

Wed, 26 Mar, 2025

Cork parents start campaign for new school to bridge education gap for autistic students

Cork parents start campaign for new school to bridge education gap for autistic students

Parents have called for a school to implement the traditional Junior Cycle programme, as well as Level 2 Learning Programmes , which are designed to develop essential life, social and vocational skills for students with additional learning needs

Tue, 11 Mar, 2025