Support groups express disappointment

Reaction: Support groups for people with disabilities yesterday expressed disappointment at yesterday's High Court ruling.

The Irish Autism Alliance (IAA) said hundreds of families around the country who were seeking appropriate education for their children would be alarmed at the wording of the ruling.

"It talks of an adequate education rather than an appropriate one. We seem to be going into a realm where if the State provides something, you take it, and that's it," said Marc de Salvo of the IAA.

The alliance, an organisation for other autism support groups, is seeking a meeting with the Minister for Education Mary Hanafin to discuss the implications of the ruling. A Department spokeswoman said: "The Minister recognises that this has been a difficult period for all concerned. Following the court determination my department will continue to work with the service providers with a view to ensuring that services are made available to meet Lewis's needs."

Disability rights campaigner and MEP Kathy Sinnott said it was a "black day" for persons with special needs and their families.

She said: "The Government has won its war against the O'Carolans, it has passed the Education for Persons with Disabilities Act and the Disability Bill itself.

"With this terrible hat-trick of victories against persons with disability, the Government is well on its way to re-institutionalising those with disabilities."

Namhi, an umbrella group representing people with intellectual disabilities, said the difficulties the O'Carolan family faced reflected a lack of planning for autism education.