Ireland’s autism charity calls for access to essential services in general election manifesto

AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity, has launched its General Election Manifesto “Towards the Same Chance”, outlining what the charity insists the next Government must do to remove systemic barriers faced by the Autistic community.

The key pillars of the manifesto are underpinned by the values and provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and strongly emphasises key inequalities in education, access to essential services in health, employment, and social protection.

The contents of this document were produced through direct engagement with Ireland’s Autistic community over the past year, and if implemented, will help create a society where all Autistic people are given the same chance.

Speaking on the Manifesto’s publication, AsIAm CEO Adam Harris said:

“Autistic people face barriers in Irish society which others do not even see. These barriers prevent Autistic people from having the same chance to access education, secure a job or home and participate in every aspect of Irish society. This is not inevitable, and the next government must ensure a rights-based, appropriately resourced system is put in place to ensure every member of our community can access the right support, at the right time. The removal of systemic barriers to inclusion requires a whole of government approach which breaks down the pervasive silos in government policy – this is why it is critical that all parties commit to placing the Autism Innovation Strategy on a statutory footing during the lifetime of the next Dáil and reform national policy and our statute book to reflect Ireland’s commitment to the full implementation of the UNCRPD in Ireland”

The first pillar of the manifesto calls for an inclusive education that provides all children with access to knowledge, a sense of community and belonging, and all the opportunities created by an appropriate start in life. Through a range of actions, investments and policy developments, the manifesto calls on the next Government to ensure that every Autistic person has the same chance to access a suitable school place in their community and with robust, child-centred guidelines on seclusion and restraint in place.

The second pillar of the manifesto highlights stark waiting lists for Assessment of Needs and essential services: almost 8,900 children classified as “overdue” for an Assessment - 7000 of whom have been waiting for longer than three months. It calls for the next Government to do more to alleviate the cost of disability, allow Autistic adults to live independently, reduce the number of Autistic people living in chronic loneliness and provide better supports to those seeking employment.

The third pillar highlights the need for the next Government to make long-term decisions that will improve the lives of Autistic people in a sustainable and permanent way, rather than relying on one-off measures. It calls for a holistic, whole-of-government approach to implementing the recently launched Autism Innovation Strategy and ensuring that all 109 recommendations from the recent Joint Oireachtas Committee Report on Autism are fully implemented by the end of the next Dáil.

The manifesto, which has been published in advance of the next General Election, focuses on actions that will bring Ireland towards a more equal, inclusive and accessible society for the Autistic community. It states that the opportunities for reform across Ireland’s health services, education, early years, social protection, housing, disability services and community development are far reaching and if the key asks of the manifesto are implemented effectively, Ireland can be the best place in the world to live and grow as an Autistic person.