Govt under fire over funding for autism facilities

The Department of Education is coming under fire for failing to fund special pre-school facilities for autistic children in Co Wicklow.

Parents of the nine children attending the Applied Behavioural Analysis school in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, say the facility is facing closure without Government funding.

They are due to mount a protest outside the Dáil today to highlight their situation.

The parents say the Government could actually save money in the long run if it agreed to fund the school as the ABA teaching method is regarded as the best way of helping autistic children lead a normal life without the need for lifelong care.