Ahern to be called on amid FF disquiet on ABA

DEMANDS for wider services for children with autism are likely to be raised with the Taoiseach by Fianna Fáil TDs and senators following this week’s Dáil debate on the issue.

Comments by the party’s former deputy leader Mary O’Rourke during Fine Gael’s defeated motion seeking government funding for specialist autism schools have raised pressure on Mr Ahern and Education Minister Mary Hanafin to review government policy in this area.

Ms O’Rourke, a former education minister, said there is a lingering animosity in the Department of Education to providing one-to-one Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) for children who need it.

The Government has committed itself to funding 12 existing ABA centres but will only offer all other children with autism a mix of ABA and other teaching methods.

“We learn daily about the new developments and how children respond in difficult situations. I wish we could have an open approach to more provision of ABA,” said Ms O’Rourke on Wednesday night.

Despite her comments, she voted in support of a government amendment to the FG motion. But she said yesterday that she risked censure from party colleagues to highlight the issue, which will now be raised at the FF parliamentary party meeting.

“You don’t like dumping everything at the Taoiseach’s door, he has enough on his plate, but I think it would be the way to go,” she told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio show yesterday.

Ms O’Rourke said actions speak louder than words and that she is actively supportive of the Saplings ABA school in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, and of plans to open a similar school in Athlone.

Brian Hayes, FG’s education spokesman, who proposed this week’s motion, called on FF TDs who had offered their support in private to bring the case to Mr Ahern.

“The Taoiseach should instruct his minister to take a much more flexible, hands-on approach which would ensure the ABA approach, which is recognised internationally as making a huge difference in terms of early intervention, is recognised within our education system,” he said.

He said parents are “not seeking the earth, moon and stars” but that ABA should be provided where a psychologist recommends it.

The FG motion followed the ordeal of Co Wicklow couple Cian and Yvonne Ó Cuanachain, who were 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.

While Ms O’Rourke’s comments drew applause from parents of children with autism in the public gallery on Wednesday, concern was expressed that the debate is becoming politicised to the detriment of children and their families.

People with Disabilities in Ireland said the comments about animosity towards ABA in the Department of Education must be taken seriously.

“If this attitude exists within the department and is informing public policy on autism, it would be extremely worrying and clearly not conducive to finding the right solution,” said chief executive Michael Ringrose.

“What seems to be accepted by all sides is that the ABA teaching method is appropriate for certain children with autism. What is needed now is to make sure the appropriate system for each child is diagnosed in the first instance but crucially, that it is available to each child, not in a limited way as the current educationsystem dictates but as the child needs it,” he said.

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