Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
28. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in Laois and Offaly waiting more than 6, 9, 12 and 18 months to have an assessment of needs completed, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72811/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government recognises that there are unacceptable delays for children and families who have applied for Assessments of Need.
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 he/she may have a disability, for anyone born after 1st June 2002.
It should be emphaised than an Assessment of Need is not required to access health services provided by Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or CAMH’s.
Nevertheless, demand for Assessments of Need have grown on an exceptional basis in recent years.
The HSE has provided data on the 870 overdue applications for Assessment of Need in Laois/Offaly broken down as follows:
• 6 months = 206 applications
• 9 months = 153 applications
• 12 months = 254 applications
• 18 months = 257 applications
Significant efforts have been made to increase the completion rates of Assessments of Need in Laois Offaly. This is reflected in the completion of 172 Assessment Reports in the first 3 quarters of 2025. This is a 45% year on year increase when compared to the same period in 2024.
However there has also been a continued growth in demand for an Assessment of Need in Laois/Offaly, increasing by 14% in the first 3 quarters of 2025, compared to the same period last year.
This continued growth in demand for Assessment of Need highlights the scale of the challenge we are facing not just in Laois/Offaly but also at a national level and the need for urgent reform to occur.
Last week, 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. Over time, this should lead to a reduction in the waiting time to receive an assessment.
This reform includes legislative and operational reforms to support the efficiency and effectiveness of the Assessment of Needs process.
The proposed legislative changes will not remove the right 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.
I want to assure the Deputy that the provision of an effective and efficient delivery of assessments of need remains a priority for the Government.
