Protest outside Dáil for autistic children

Autistic children, their parents and supporters of Irish Autism Action (IAA) released 347 black balloons outside Dáil Éireann yesterday afternoon in protest at the Government's refusal to extend an educational programme designed specifically for autistic students. Erin Goldenreports.

According to IAA chairman Cormac Rennick, the balloons represent the number of children currently on the waiting list for an Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) education.

The Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, has rejected calls for universally available ABA opportunities, citing a recent taskforce report that recommended a range of approaches and techniques for autistic students.

But several parents at the protest said ABA was the greatest chance for an autistic child to grow into a productive adult.

"It has been well-established that early intervention is the best approach," said Paul Cloake, the father of a 10-year-old autistic boy.

"ABA is standard operating procedure in the US and Canada. If it's good enough there, why isn't it here?"

As part of the protest, two parents delivered a letter to Ms Hanafin asking her to engage in a public debate about the place of ABA in the Irish education system.

A spokeswoman for the Minister said she had not yet seen the letter and could not say if the Minister would engage in such a debate.

Mr Rennick said his group would continue to lobby for access to ABA programmes. "We are not going to go away," he said.

"We are not giving up until we get this in our children's lives."