We note the most unhelpful, and deeply misinformed speech by Deputy Danny Healy Rae last night.
A sharp reminder that Ireland is not immune from the growth of misinformation and disinformation that we are increasingly seeing in other jurisdictions. Last week, we hosted the 14th Autism Europe Congress in which we made tackling misinformation a key area of focus.
The fact that the speech was made on the same day Ireland's National Disability Authority published a paper in which they noted there was no evidence of over-diagnosis in an Irish context is deeply ironic and at a time in which our organisation is running a public information campaign on Autism and misinformation.
We would ask all Oireachtas Members to think about the impact of their words before they use their platform to add to the pervasive stigma, myths and hurtful stereotypes that not only cause hurt but create barriers to diagnosis and support and pose broader public health concerns.
Autism is a natural variation in human neurology - there is not more Autistic people than in the past but there are more people accessing diagnosis.
Deputy Healy-Rae referenced the importance of timely access to support for Autistic people and families. This is where his energy should be focused on, not on misleading and ungrounded information. His comments highlight the opportunity to ensure no one goes without support their whole lives - our politicians should focus on creating responsive public services that respond to that urgent need.
We remain available at any stage to engage with political representatives who would like to increase their knowledge of Autism or need guidance on separating fact from fiction
