Axing of autism home tuition ‘rash cost-cutting’

Children with autism are having their home tuition halted and instead are being ordered to attend new special needs units, according to one of the country’s leading autism support groups.

The Department of Education announced that 91 new classes for children with special needs are to be introduced at special needs units at the country’s schools.

Shine Ireland, the Irish Progressive Association for Autism, initially welcomed the investment but yesterday criticised it as “rash cost- cutting” saying they hadn’t realised then that such units would be used to replace more costly home tuition.