Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
1021. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions her Department is taking to address significant delays in the assessment of needs process (details supplied); the measures being taken to ensure timely assessments and prevent children from being left without essential educational and developmental supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39941/26]
View answerThe Government recognises that there are unacceptable delays in accessing Assessments of Need. We are committed to addressing these delays.
Under the Disability Act, an Assessment of Need is an assessment process carried out by the HSE where a person is of the opinion that they may have a disability, for anyone born after 1st June 2002. It first establishes whether the person has a disability (as defined within the Act). It then identifies the health and education needs of the person with a disability and the services required to meet those needs.
It is important to note that children do not require an Assessment of Need to access health services, including HSE Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or Mental Health Services, or education supports.
Since 2017, children and young people in mainstream schools have not required a diagnosis to access supports from the 15,000 special education teachers in our school system. The Department of Education and Youth has also removed the need for health-related information for special education teaching allocations, additional SNA requirements, transitions between primary and post-primary special classes, and assistive technology supports. It is also important to note that while a professional report is currently required to access a special class or a special school, this does not have to be linked to an Assessment of Need.
Demand for Assessments of Need has increased significantly in recent years, reflecting both the increase in population and the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child. Unfortunately, this demand is outpacing the capacity of the system to respond. The HSE does not provide data on a county basis, but data is available by Local Health Office (LHO). HSE data for Galway LHO reflects the nationwide picture of rising demand with an almost fourfold increase in applications from 113 in 2024 to 447 in 2025. According to the most recent HSE data,132 applications were received in Q1 2026 with 568 Assessment of Need reports overdue for completion in Galway LHO at the end of the same period.
On a positive note, there has been continued improvement in the number of completed Assessment of Need reports with 5,939 reports completed in 2025. This is a 43% increase nationally compared to the number completed in 2024, albeit with some regional and local variation.
In December 2025 Government announced a series of improvements to the Assessment of Need process which will make the process more effective and efficient for children and families. Over time, this should lead to a reduction in the waiting time to receive an assessment. This reform includes legislative reform and operational improvements to support the efficiency and effectiveness of the Assessment of Need process.
The proposed legislative changes will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an Assessment of Need for their child. They also will not alter the statutory six-month timeline set out in the Disability Act.
The General Scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill has been published on the Department’s website. The Joint Committee on Disability Matters has published its report, following pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill, and the Department is considering its recommendations. An [FAQ document (/www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/from-subject-received-size-categories-aoife-carragher-dcde-fw-dcde-website-aon-1532-1-mb/)] has been published, providing information on Assessment of Need and the proposed changes for parents and any other interested stakeholders.
It is important to recognise that legislation is only a part of the response. 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 HSE is also implementing actions to address the wider issue of access to services and supports for children with disabilities including:
• Introduction of a Single Point of Access system by the HSE in 2026. This should make it easier for families to be referred to the right service, whether that is primary care, CDNT or mental health services. It aims to streamline referrals and reduce duplication, so children do not end up on multiple waiting lists.
• Implementation of the Autism Assessment and Intervention Pathways Protocol by the HSE. The Protocol, which was launched today, will provide a standardised assessment process across primary care, mental health and disability services. It will be the preferred assessment route for autism.
• The creation of eleven new HSE teams, initially, to support assessment processes, including AON, providing clinical guidance and administrative supports.
The provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system continues to be a priority for the Government.
