Inclusion Ireland comment on the appointment of Independent Support Liaison Officer by the Department of Health

Reacting to the appointment of an Independent Support Liaison Officer by the Department of Health in relation the allegations made on the RTÉ Investigates Prime Time programme, interim CEO of Inclusion Ireland, Lorraine Dempsey, said:

“We welcome the appointment of Mr Donie O’Shea as the Independent Support Liaison Officer who will engage directly with the families involved in recent allegations on the RTÉ Prime Time programme regarding dossiers on autistic children. Mr O’Shea is well versed in the challenging experiences that families have had in pursuit of supports for their children with disabilities.

“On a day such as World Autism Awareness Day where Minister Rabbitte has just announced the development of an Autism Innovation Strategy, we also need a firm commitment that the State culture of adversarial litigation rather than that of investment and intervention is consigned to the past. The State knows its obligations which are set out in our Constitution, legislation, and the United Nation Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities. It is time that it lived up to them and not put children with disabilities and their families through the torment of having to take legal action.”

The Department of Health announcement is available here.

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