Consultation
Public Consultation on the Autism Innovation Strategy
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte, has launched a further public consultation on the Autism Innovation Strategy. (Read the press release here )
The Autism Innovation Strategy aims to address the bespoke challenges and barriers facing autistic people and to improve understanding and accommodation of autism within society and across the public system. The Strategy contains actions that will be undertaken across Government to better support autistic people and their families. The duration of the Strategy will be 18 months.
The Autism Innovation Strategy will complement and enhance wider action on disability by focusing on areas where there are bespoke needs for autistic people.
The purpose of this further public consultation is to seek views on the draft Autism Innovation Strategy before it is finalised and launched in the coming months.
The draft Autism Innovation Strategy has been prepared based on the contributions to the initial public consultation and following discussions with Departments and Agencies across Government to agree actions under the Strategy.
In Ireland, autistic people can still face multiple, varied and complex challenges and barriers in all facets of their daily lives, and throughout their lives, from infancy, through childhood, into adulthood and old age. The Autism Innovation Strategy will pursue clear, simple actions to make a meaningful difference to the lives of autistic people and their families over an 18-month period.
You can read the draft Autism Innovation Strategy here:
An easy to read to read version of the Strategy is available here:
The Autism Innovation Strategy online survey is now live and will remain open until 4pm on Friday 1st March 2024. This online survey will take 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
Here is the EU Survey link to the survey.
Easy to read versions of the survey are available below:
Printable version which can be printed and completed (available here):
Fillable version which can be completed online with Adobe PDF software (available here):
Guidance on the easy to read survey is available here:
Completed easy to read surveys can be scanned/emailed to Autism_Strategy@equality.gov.ie
The closing date for receipt of the easy to read survey is 4pm on Friday 1st March 2024
For organisations or others that may wish to submit a more detailed submission, written submissions are also being invited using the following template:
Written submissions should be emailed to Autism_Strategy@equality.gov.ie
There is a maximum word limit of 2000 words for written submissions. Written submissions from organisations should clearly indicate how many members were consulted in preparation of the submission.
The deadline for receipt of written submissions is 4pm on Friday 1st March 2024.
Targeted consultations are also being held with particular cohorts. The details of these targeted focus groups are still being finalised.
Responses will be collated and analysed by the Department. The feedback from the public consultation will be used to prepare the final draft of the Autism Innovation Strategy. It is anticipated that the Autism Innovation Strategy will be launched in the first half of this year.
All submissions and survey answers are subject to release under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014 and are also subject to Data Protection legislation.
Personal, confidential or commercially sensitive information should not be included in your submission as this information may be releasable under FOI legislation.
If you have any further queries or need assistance, please email Autism_Strategy@equality.gov.ie
In parallel with development of the Autism Innovation Strategy, development of a new National Disability Strategy is also underway. While the Autism Innovation Strategy will focus on addressing bespoke challenges and barriers facing autistic people and their families, the National Disability Strategy will target shared challenges affecting disabled people and provide a blueprint for the continued implementation of the UNCRPD in Ireland. The public consultation for the National Disability Strategy is also open and can be viewed here