Board index › General Discussion › Autism Politics, Activism, and Media Representation

Autism (NI) Bill passed

Page 1 of 1 [ 3 posts ] 

Previous topic | Next topic

RarePegs
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 20 Oct 2008
Age: 59
Gender: Male
Posts: 333
Location: Northern Ireland

15 Mar 2011, 7:19 pm

Some news from Northern Ireland - the Autism (NI) Bill was passed several hours ago at Stormont on the afternoon of Tuesday 15th March. It's still not on either the BBC or Belfast Telegraph websites but here is a link to the bill:

Northern Ireland Assembly - Autism (NI) Bill



Tequila
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Posts: 28,897
Location: Lancashire, UK

15 Mar 2011, 7:23 pm

What does this mean for autistics/Asperger's people in Norn Iron? Is their situation significantly different than in the rest of the UK?

I felt that things were similar to mainland Britain (or indeed, the Irish Republic) when I was last over in Northern Ireland. Probably less broad-minded socially maybe but nothing different on the state side of things from what I could tell?



RarePegs
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 20 Oct 2008
Age: 59
Gender: Male
Posts: 333
Location: Northern Ireland

16 Mar 2011, 5:44 pm

This is a significant amendment to the existing Disability Discrimination Acts of 1995 and 2005 and the Disability Discrimination (NI) Order 2006. With the previous legislation, the autistic spectrum was not specifically recognised as a disability, falling between the two stools of learning disabilities and mental illness but not fitting comfortably into either category. Autistic people have been in a very weak position because of the messy complexity of depending upon their comorbid conditions which vary so much from person to person. Legal recognition of autism provides us with much more of a one-stop-shop.