Hanafin bullying parents of autistic students, says FG
Fine Gael education spokesman Brian Hayes said the minister’s attitude to parents campaigning for Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) schooling amounted to “my way or no way”, which was “scandalous” in light of the dearth of services for children with autism.
Mr Hayes was speaking in the Dáil on a Fine Gael motion calling on the Government to accept that existing services were inadequate, commit to funding the existing 12 ABA schools paid for by parents, expand the ABA school network and provide an appeals system to allow parents plead their case with the Department of Education.
The motion, which is supported by Labour, follows the ordeal of Co Wicklow couple, Cian and Yvonne O’Cuanachain, who have been left with an estimated €2 million legal bill after their failed High Court attempt to secure funding for ABA education for their six-year-old son, Sean.
Some 400 children assessed by psychologists as needing ABA have no such service as government policy is that the children with autism should be assimilated into mainstream schools.
“Once again the Department of Education prefers to wrestle parents through the courts as parents seek justice for their children,” said Mr Hayes.
“It is a David and Goliath contest in which the vast resources of the State are pitted against parents.
“How many other O’Cuanachain-type cases must we see through the courts before the minister comes to her senses?”
Earlier, Cian O’Cuanachain and the Irish Autism Alliance appealed to all the political parties to remove the whip from their deputies to allow them to act freely in the vote on the motion due to take place tonight.
“It’s too important an issue for too many children and too many parents to have it decided by party politics,” said Mr O’Cuanachain, who said he believed there was widespread, all-party support for the measures called for by FG.
Ms Hanafin accepted that her department was playing “catch-up” after years of under-provision of services but she rejected the claim that the existing system was failing children.
She said there were 10,000 special education assistants available to mainstream primary schools to assist pupils with special needs, compared to less than 300 10 years ago, and that ABA training was being provided for teachers where needed.
“We do not accept, based on research, advice and best international practice, that ABA should be the only intervention used,” said Ms Hanafin.
