Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:515. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will request the Disability Unit in her Department to evaluate a situation (details supplied). [68527/25]
View answerTuesday, 2 December 2025
Questions (515)
Written answers
Sensational Kids is an organisation delivering interventions to children over the last 10 years. It operates as a child development centre, providing subsidised therapy services for children and professional development training workshops for those working with children with special needs.
Sensational Kids employs approximately 30 staff, including a clinical team across child development centres in Kildare, Mayo, Monaghan and West Cork, providing supports such as occupational therapy, speech & language therapy and play therapy.
The HSE advises that it engaged with the CEO of Sensational Kids in 2023 and confirmed its commitment to working with them in supporting children with disabilities to access supports. Further meetings took place between both parties in 2023 and 2024 regarding a waitlist initiative for intervention and a building proposal for a National Child Development Centre and clarification was provided by the HSE regarding the steps and documentation that are required for completion of a capital submission.
With respect to the National Child Development Centre, HSE have advised the Department that several guidance meetings took place across 2024 and 2025.
At a meeting on the 18th of August 2025 attended by HSE staff and Sensational Kids including CEO Karen Leigh it was confirmed to Sensational Kids that the HSE would not be supporting their application for capital funding for the development of a specialist disability centre for children in Kildare.
Disability Services, Dublin South, Kildare & West Wicklow (DSKWW) continue to work with Sensational Kids who complete assessments for the Assessment of Need process in this area.