merrion street

Friday 02 April 2021

Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte T.D., has today, World Autism Awareness Day, announced her intention to establish a Working Group to develop an Autism Innovation Strategy.

Minister Rabbitte made the announcement at AsIAm’s ‘What autism acceptance means to me’ online event on Friday.

Minister Rabbitte commented,

I am very proud to mark World Autism Awareness Day by announcing that it is my intention to develop an Autism Innovation Strategy. The focus of the strategy in the short term will be to deliver real and tangible solutions to the challenges, needs and experiences of people with autism.

This targeted approach will pinpoint priorities in a number of key areas that I, as Minister, will aim to address in the next three or four years. A clear pathway of supports need to be developed and I hope this can be achieved through the Autism Innovation Strategy.

The Autism Innovation Strategy will inevitably be cross departmental in nature as autism is not just an issue that needs to be addressed with health supports but there needs to be a more holistic approach taken. There is an amazing opportunity for Ireland to become a leader across the EU and indeed the world on how to achieve a more autism-friendly country.

It is my intention to set up an Autism Innovation Strategy Working Group, which will seek to develop this Strategy. I am committed to championing this in government and will chair this Working Group once established. I look forward to engaging with stakeholders in the months ahead,” concluded Minister Rabbitte.

-ENDS-