Dáil Gets Harris Seal Of Approval

Adam Harris & Jennifer Whitmore THURS18JAN24

atest press release from Jennifer Whitmore TD, issued on Friday, January 19th 2024…

Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore attended an event in Dáil Éireann yesterday where the Houses of the Oireachtas received its Autism Accreditation Certificate.

The certificate was presented following months of work by Oireachtas campus staff and members of AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity, to make the Leinster House complex more accessible for autistic people. The CEO of AsIAm, Wicklow native Adam Harris, presented the accreditation certificate at the ceromony.

Speaking after the event, Deputy Whitmore said: “I am very proud that the Houses of Oireachtas has taken this critical step to become a workplace and campus promoting an autism-friendly approach in our buildings. Everyone, from staff to members to visitors to the national parliament, should feel comfortable and welcomed on campus.

“Staff members achieved this accreditation, and as did members of the Dáil and the Seanad, by completing Understanding Autism training delivered by AsIAm. Over a thousand people who work on the campus took this training up, giving us all a real sense of pride that we have achieved this milestone. A dedicated autism-friendly webpage for the Oireachtas was also launched yesterday.

“This programme was championed by the office of the Ceann Comhairle and Peter Finnigan, Secretary General of the Houses of the Oireachtas Service and his staff. This achievement is a credit to them.

“It would also not have happened without the tireless work of Adam Harris and everyone at AsIAm, who have done so much in recent years to raise awareness of how we can make Irish society more inclusive and accessible for people with autism.”