Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
370. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the projected number of children on the waiting list for assessment of needs by the end of 2025; her Department’s plans to clear this waiting list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73272/25]
View answerThe Government recognises that there are unacceptable delays in accessing Assessments of Need. The Department and the HSE are committed to addressing these delays.
It is important to note that children do not require an Assessment of Need to access health services, including Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or Mental Health Services. However, the number of Assessment of Need applications has increased significantly in recent years, with applications this year expected to be in excess of 11,000 compared to 4,700 in 2020.
There has been a noted improvement in the number of completed applications in recent years with over 4,100 completed in 2024, an increase of 30% compared to 2023. This trend is continuing this year, with a 57% increase in completed assessments in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period in 2024.
This improvement has been achieved by a number of measures, including the Assessment of Need Targeted Waitlist Initiative which focuses on those families waiting longest for Assessments of Need. Under this Initiative, the HSE procures clinical assessments from approved private providers. Over 6,300 clinical assessments have been commissioned from private providers since the Initiative started in June 2024. Budget 2026 provides for the continuation of this Initiative next year with €20 million provided for the delivery of some 6,000 clinical assessments.
Despite this, the number of applications overdue for completion has grown and the HSE has estimated that over 22,000 applications will be overdue by the end of 2025.
On December 9th, Government announced a series of reforms to the Assessment of Need process which will make the process more effective and efficient for children and families and move towards more assessments being delivered within the statutory 6-month timeframe.
These reforms will include legislative changes to Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005, which addresses Assessment of Need. These changes will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an Assessment of Need for their child, nor will they alter the statutory six-month timeline set out in the Disability Act.
The Department is working with the HSE to identify further opportunities to enhance processes, improve training, and increase administrative supports for HSE Assessment Officers who are responsible for the production of assessment reports. This includes the establishment of working groups to address learning and development needs and to develop statutory guidelines.
The provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system continues to be a priority for the Government.
