Autism Heroes founder makes a big impression on taoiseach

A GROUND-BREAKING programme promoted by local group Austim Heroes has been placed firmly in the hands of key decision-makers.

Austim Heroes recently presented taoiseach Simon Harris with a progressive idea it is working on, which it now hopes will be considered by the Department of Education. Taoiseach Harris was in Carlow last week with Fine Gael general election candidate Catherine Callaghan as part of the election campaign, visiting the Arboretum in Leighlinbridge, where he met Louise Moran from Autism Heroes.

“I want to thank Catherine and cllr Paul Doogue for arranging the meeting with the taoiseach and for being such a huge support to us. The taoiseach was very interested, and I am hopeful that it will lead to a formal meeting with the department in the coming weeks,” she added.

Louise also presented the information pack to Hildegarde Naughton, government chief whip with responsibility for special education and inclusion, on the minister’s recent visit to Tullow.

Louise’s son Oisin has autism and the family lived in Perth, Australia for ten years, where the combination of an early diagnosis, early intervention and school-age therapy is the reason Oisin is the outgoing boy he is today.

Moving home from Australia to Ireland in recent years and seeing how families are in great need of more help and services became the reason Louise founded Autism Heroes.

The long-term goal of the group is to have the support and funding that Irish families not only want but need and deserve. They say the difference it can make to a child is literally life-changing. Autism Heroes imagines a world of greater understanding, where everyone can feel both accepted and included.