Written Answers Nos. 51-75
51. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in Cavan and Monaghan who received an assessment of need within the statutory timeframe in the years 2020 to date; and the number who have not. [72968/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe delivery of an effective, efficient Assessment of Need system is a priority for the Government. There has been intensive work by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the HSE to address delays in the provision of 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 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 Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or Mental Health Services.
However, 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.
HSE provides Assessment of Need data on a quarterly basis at Local Health Office (LHO) and Regional Health Area level but has advised this data is not available on a county level. The table below sets out number of assessment of need reports completed within the timeframes set out in the Disability Act 2005 and accompanying Regulations for the Cavan/Monaghan LHO for the full years 2020-2024. Full year data for 2025 is not yet available.
Assessment Reports Completed in Cavan/Monaghan LHO
|
Year |
Total Completed |
Within Statutory Timeline |
Outside of Timeline |
|
2020 |
153 |
13 |
140 |
|
2021 |
170 |
112 |
58 |
|
2022 |
108 |
72 |
36 |
|
2023 |
279 |
12 |
267 |
|
2024 |
66 |
7 |
59 |
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 include changes to Part 2 of the Disability Act, 2005, which provides for Assessments of Need. The General Scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill 2025 was approved by Government on 9th December and will be published on the Department’s website shortly.
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.
Other aspects of the reform include:
• The development of statutory guidelines to ensure that AONs focus on identifying a child’s needs, engaging in more intensive assessments only where required to identify need. This should help reduce delays and allow therapists to spend more time delivering services.
• The establishment by the HSE of eleven new teams, initially, to support HSE assessment processes, including Assessments of Need. Each team will include a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist, and an administrator, providing clinical guidance throughout the process.
The provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system continues to be a priority for the Government.
52. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the work her Department is undertaking to improve access to respite in Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73191/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
53. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress being made in reducing the number of children on the Balbriggan and Swords CDNT waiting lists; the number of staff recruited to CDNTs in Dublin in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72847/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraRecruitment and retention of staff remain a key priority for all Children’s Disability Network Teams within Integrated Health Area Dublin North County (IHA DNC) and Integrated Health Area Dublin North City & West (IHA DNCW).
As of the end of November 2025, 66% of approved Children’s Disability Network Teams posts in Integrated Health Area Dublin North County and 75% in Integrated Health Area Dublin North City and West are filled.
A range of national and local initiatives are underway to further strengthen staffing levels and increase access to services, including targeted national and international recruitment campaigns, the availability of permanent contracts, flexible working arrangements, enhanced professional development opportunities and additional administrative supports to maximise clinical capacity.
Disability Services and Lead agencies, including the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), St Michael’s House (SMH) and Avista, across both Integrated Health Areas are fully committed to strengthening the Children’s Disability Network Teams workforce and improving timely access to services for children and families. Staffing levels and waiting times continue to be monitored to help ensure progress achieved is sustained.
I have been advised by the HSE that progress was made during 2025 in reducing the waiting lists for the Balbriggan and Swords Children’s Disability Network Teams, for which the CRC is the lead agency.
In January 2025, 355 children were on the waiting list for the Balbriggan Children’s Disability Network Team. The number of children awaiting access to Balbriggan Children’s Disability Network Team at the end of November 2025 is circa 163, which represents an approximate 54% decrease.
Similarly, the number of children on the waiting list for the Swords Children’s Disability Network Team reduced from 508 in January 2025 to circa 254 at the end of November 2025, representing a 50% decrease.
These improvements reflect ongoing efforts by HSE Integrated Health Area Dublin North County and Integrated Health Area Dublin North City & West Disability Services with the CRC to maximise use of existing resources through the Children’s Disability Network Team model of service delivery, ensure children are on the most appropriate pathway for services
Government will continue to support the HSE in improving access to Children’s Disability Network Teams, as required, for children and their families across all Integrated Health Areas including those serving Balbriggan and Swords.
54. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to protect and assist parents whose childcare providers are leaving core funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73066/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware that a small number of service providers have regrettably chosen to withdraw from the Core Funding scheme. However, uptake of Core Funding remains strong. The fourth year of Core Funding began on 1 September and as of 16 December there were over 4,580 services signed up to Year 4 of Core Funding, a 5 per cent increase on this time last year. This is the highest number of Partner Services in Core Funding at any point since the scheme was launched in 2022 and the number continues to grow.
It should be noted that of the 592 services that have left the scheme at one point, some 415 services were contracted to Core Funding as of 3 November 2025 - meaning over 70% of services who left the scheme at one point have now returned to Core Funding.
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to help parents reduce the cost of early learning and childcare in the form of a subsidy paid directly to the childcare provider. Subsidies are available for children between 24 weeks and 15 years of age at a minimum rate of €2.14 per hour, available for up to 45 weekly hours. All Tusla registered providers are eligible to offer the National Childcare Scheme and avail of the supports the subsidy provides.
Shaping the Future: The Early Years Action Plan, Phase 1 Report sets out the Government’s approach to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) system.
Phase 1 actions on affordability in Shaping the Future will deliver tangible steps towards the €200 commitment in 2026. Actions will support a further reduction in fees paid by parents who pay the highest fees in the country by lowering the maximum fees that Core Funding Partner Services can charge. In addition, from autumn 2026 we will reduce fees for lower-income families through the National Childcare Scheme. This will ensure that families with incomes below the relative income poverty line receive the maximum subsidies.
While the first phase of Shaping the Future gets underway, the Department will begin preparations for Phase 2. Phase 2 actions will include a roadmap to reduce parental fees to a maximum of €200 per month over the lifetime of the Government.
55. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the establishment of an MS community worker in the Sligo–Leitrim area, which is currently the only region in the State without access to this community work service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72806/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
56. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when changes to assessment of need will come into force; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73266/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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 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.
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. These reforms include changes to Part 2 of the Disability Act, 2005, which provides for Assessments of Need. The General Scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill 2025 was approved by Government on 9 December and will be published on the Department’s website shortly. As part of the development of the General Scheme, a Regulatory Impact Assessment was prepared, and this will also be published.
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 currently at an early stage of the legislative process. It is expected that the General Scheme will undergo pre-legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters early in the New Year.
The provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system continues to be a priority for the Government.
57. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the regional assessment hub will be put in place for County Longford, as these hubs are needed to alleviate pressure on health service and begin tackling the backlog that is affecting families across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72832/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
58. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the likely timeline for publication of the detailed specifications for future building blocks schemes in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72934/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the National Development Plan review the allocation for early learning and childcare investment has increased to €197 million over the next five years. This increased funding will be used in part to provide additional early learning and childcare places through future capital programmes, which will primarily focus on implementing the commitment to capital investment in State-owned early learning and childcare facilities. In addition, there will be continued investment in expansion of existing early learning and childcare operators through the current and future Building Blocks schemes and a number of quality initiatives including supports to childminders.
Officials in the Department are currently examining options and detailed specifications for future Building Blocks schemes, and I expect to announce details in early 2026.
59. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of publicly funded private assessments of needs delivered in Cork in 2025; and the number delivered publicly. [71672/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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 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 an Assessment of Need (AON) is not required to access health services, including Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams, or Mental Health Services.
Section 8 of the Disability Act, 2005 makes provision for the carrying out of Assessments of Need, including the appointment of assessment officers by the HSE. They are responsible for carrying out assessments of applicants for assessments of need or for arranging for them to be carried out by other persons with appropriate experience. The latter can include the procurement of clinical assessments from private providers. Notwithstanding this, the HSE assessment officers are solely responsible for the production of the assessment report as set out in Section 8(7) of the Act.
HSE South West advises that, to increase compliance with legislative timelines, diagnostic autism assessments are procured from private providers utilising funding provided by this Department under the Targeted Waitlist Initiative. As such, where a diagnostic autism assessment is required under the Assessment of Need process, Assessment Officers for HSE South West allocate these assessments to the contracted private providers.
Most recent Assessment of Need data from the HSE to the end of September shows that 760 assessment of need reports were completed in Cork. During the same period, 742 private autism assessments were completed. It's important to note that the data on private clinical assessments and on completed AON reports do not align, and some private autism assessments may relate to assessment of need reports that are not yet completed.
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. These reforms include changes to Part 2 of the Disability Act, 2005, which provides for Assessments of Need. The General Scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill 2025 was approved by Government on 9 December and will be published on the Department’s website shortly. 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 provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system continues to be a priority for the Government.
60. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which she will urgently build childcare capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71913/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraImproving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government.
Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2023/24 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by over 25% in the last three years. However, it appears that demand for early learning and childcare remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country, particularly for younger children.
A forward planning model is in development which will be central to the Department's plans to achieve the policy goals set out in the Programme for Government to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system, with State-led facilities adding capacity.
The Department continues to support the ongoing development and resourcing of Core Funding which has given rise to a significant expansion of places since the scheme was first introduced. Core Funding, which is in its fourth programme year, funds services based on the number of places available.
This provides stability to services, and reduces the risk associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service. For the third programme year (2024/25), the allocation for Core Funding allowed for a 6% increase in capacity. Budget 2025 secured funding for the fourth programme year (2025/6) to facilitate a further 3.5% increase from September 2025. Budget 2026 has made provision for the fifth programme year (2026/7) for a further expansion in supply of 4.2%.
This increased investment will allow increases in the natural growth of the sector driven both by new services joining the sector and existing services offering more places and/or longer hours to families.
The Government is also supporting the expansion of capacity through capital funding. The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme is designed to increase capacity in the 1–3-year-old, pre–Early Childhood Care and Education, age range for full day care. Core Funding Partner Services could apply for capital funding to physically extend their premises or to construct or purchase new premises.
Capital funding allocated to the early learning and childcare sector under the National Development Plan has enabled significant investment in early learning and childcare. This allows existing Core Funding Partner Services to extend their existing premises or, in the case of community services, to construct or purchase new premises. The Scheme will deliver up to 1,500 full-day care places for 1- to 3-year-olds which will begin to become available over the course of 2026.
The Programme for Government commits for the first time to provide capital investment to build or purchase state-owned early learning and childcare facilities, to create additional capacity in areas where unmet need exists. State ownership of facilities is a very substantial and significant development and offers the potential for much greater scope to influence the nature and volume of provision available and to ensure better alignment with estimated demand. This work will be supported through capital investment under the revised National Development Plan, which has allocated €197 million for early years capital investment over the next five years.
61. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently awaiting therapy services under children's disability network teams, CDNTs; the average waiting time for speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, by county; and the number of posts vacant within CDNTs nationally and regionally. [72984/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government and I recognise the importance of early intervention for children with disabilities and ensuring they receive the right services at the right time.
I am pleased to say that progress has been made in this regard in recent times. Over the past two years, the Roadmap for Service Improvement 2024 – 2026, Disability Services for Children and Young People has been the key vehicle for enhancing children’s disability services. Through this Roadmap, a series of actions have been progressed to improve access to Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs).
There are 93 CDNTs aligned to 96 Community Healthcare Networks (CHNs) across the country, providing services and supports for children aged from birth to 18 years of age. The model of service for all CDNTs is family-centred and based on the needs of the child. This includes universal, targeted and specialised supports and interventions, as appropriate to the individual child and family. It is based on the objectives of empowering and supporting parents and others who are with the child on a daily basis to facilitate the child’s developmental needs.
This Government is also committed to ensuring children and their families who need early intervention and therapy input can access that support in a timely way.
Waiting List for Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs)
Data from the HSE for September shows that the CDNTs are providing supports and services to almost 45,000 children with complex needs across the country.
Since the Roadmap for Service Improvement was approved by Government in July 2023, the national CDNT waiting List has reduced from 16,522 children awaiting an initial contact with a CDNT to 10,099 at the end of September 2025, with a year-end projection of 9,000. The first nine months of this year has seen a 22% reduction in the waiting list from 12,920 to 10,099 children.
It should be noted that, during September 2025, 1,283 children (and/or their parents) who are on the CDNT waiting list participated in one or more individual and/or group intervention appointments.
In line with best practice guidelines, CDNTs use an interdisciplinary service model for assessment and intervention and therefore, do not collect activity data by individual discipline (such as SLT, OT and Physiotherapy).
CDNT Workforce
Children’s Disability Network Team staffing is reported on through an annual survey to capture the full workforce across the HSE, Section 38 and Section 39 funded teams. This includes staffing levels across various disciplines and grades, providing a snapshot of the workforce across the 93 CDNTs.
The latest published CDNT workforce data is from the April 2025 survey. It shows that there were 2,009 filled CDNT posts, an increase of 8% in the 6 months from the previous workforce survey in October 2024. In the 18 months between October 2023 and April 2025, the workforce grew by 26% or 414.5 WTE posts.
The April 2025 workforce data also show a reduction of 11 percentage points in the number of unfilled CDNT posts, with 445.4 unfilled WTE posts. Vacancy rates vary across the 93 CDNTS, with some having lower rates than the national rate of 18%.
There are substantial ongoing workforce initiatives and efforts to fill funded vacancies, and work continues at pace to increase staffing rates across CDNTs. The HSE and CDNT Lead Agencies work actively and collaboratively to improve and optimise recruitment into CDNTs and wider disabilities, which in turn has a positive impact on retaining the staff currently working in CDNTs.
I can assure you that this Government will continually engage with the HSE, service providers and families to ensure that children with disabilities receive the therapies they need in a timely manner.
62. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children who have reported they were victims of human trafficking while in State care in each of the past five years. [71659/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
63. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children on the waiting list for an assessment of need in counties Cavan and Monaghan, respectively; and the number waiting more than three, six and 12 months. [72975/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
64. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeframe in which she intends to bring forward a plan to achieve a reduction in the cost of childcare to €10 per day. [72967/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have always been clear in communicating that the €200 per month commitment is over the lifetime of this Government. While Shaping the Future, the Early Years Action Plan Phase 1 Report, sets out the next steps towards this long-term ambition, I have not waited until now to take action. In September this year, maximum fee caps were extended to all Partner Services in Core Funding. Budget 2026 also enables Core Funding to continue to support fee-control measures. It will ensure fees remain at 2021 levels for a majority of providers.
This publication sets out Phase 1 actions, which will be carried out in 2026 using existing policy tools. Shaping the Future’s 2026 actions on affordability will include further reduction in some of the highest fees paid by parents by lowering the maximum fees that Core Funding Partner Services can charge. In addition, from autumn 2026 we will reduce fees for lower-income families through the National Childcare Scheme, to ensure that families with incomes below the relative income poverty line receive the maximum subsidies.
Phase 2 actions will be undertaken from 2027 to 2029. While we need to make progress quickly, the actions we take must be sustainable, underpinned by public consultation and research, and delivered in a way that supports families, the workforce and service providers. That is why a broad public consultation will be undertaken, in line with the Programme for Government commitment, to inform the identification of further actions. Phase 2 actions will be published later in 2026 and will include a roadmap to reduce parental fees to maximum to €200 per month over the lifetime of the Government.
There is a lot to be done, but I look forward to working with all stakeholders to move towards an early learning and care and school-age childcare system that is of high quality, affordable and accessible for all, supporting children, families, educators, and providers.
65. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the changes made to assessment of need; the benefits that will be brought with these changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73265/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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 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.
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. These reforms include changes to Part 2 of the Disability Act, 2005, which provides for Assessments of Need. The General Scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill 2025 was approved by Government on 9 December and will be published on the Department’s website shortly.
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 proposed legislative changes to the Disability Act 2005 are intended to support more effective delivery of Assessments of Need, and to provide clearer guidance and supports so that the process can be made more efficient, reduce delays and allow therapists to spend more time delivering services.
Key features of the bill are to include:
• An increased focus on the identification of a person’s needs and the services to meet those needs, rather than on the nature of their disability.
• The creation of statutory guidelines to support and enhance the decision-making capacity of HSE assessment officers, who are responsible for the production of assessment of need reports.
• A focus on the use of appropriate and proportionate clinical assessment(s) during the assessment of need process to ensure that they should only be used where required to establish the child’s needs.
In conjunction with these changes, operational measures are being introduced to not only improve access to assessments but also ensure that therapies are being delivered sooner:
• The HSE is putting in place a new autism assessment process from February 2026, which should provide faster access to an autism assessment for families than through the Assessment of Need process.
• The implementation of a Single Point of Access in 2026 by the HSE which will ensure that children are referred to the appropriate service that meets their needs as soon as possible.
The provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system and the provision of services to children as early as possible continue to be priorities for the Government.
66. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to deal with childcare facilities that have been affected by defective concrete blocks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73271/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department works with Pobal and local Childcare Committees to offer Case Management Supports to services in difficulty. Through this process, services may also access Sustainability Funding following an assessment of need. One strand of this funding can support a service with the cost of relocation. Services who experience issues with defective blocks or construction issues are encouraged to contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC).
The local Childcare Committee will assist the service in finding a suitable alternative location and will engage with Pobal and this Department regarding sustainability funding to facilitate the relocation of the service.
The local Childcare Committees will source suitable alternative places for children attending these services to ensure minimal disruption to their care, should the service be unable to relocate.
67. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on engagement with providers in relation to concerns around core funding. [73263/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am committed to maintaining and strengthening relations with the early learning and childcare sector.
Core Funding represents a new approach to funding the ELC & SAC sector and entails a cultural shift in the relationship between the State and providers that reflects the public good dimension of ELC and SAC.
I have established an Early Learning and Childcare Provider Consultative Forum, to build on the Department’s strong commitment to, and track record in, engaging with stakeholders in the sector through the Department’s advisory, oversight, consultation and research processes.
The Forum discusses policy and operational issues relating to the provision of early learning and childcare services and has the following objectives:
• To share information from the Early Learning and Childcare Division of the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and other relevant Departments and Agencies, including specific initiatives under consideration/development on supporting quality, accessible and affordable early learning and childcare as they relate to providers.
• To provide members with an opportunity to feedback this information to their own members, where relevant.
• To provide members with an opportunity to share information updates to the Forum.
• To provide an opportunity to seek the views of members on relevant policies and programme issues.
The Forum will invite the views, concerns and suggestions from providers, as appropriate.
This Forum has met twice to date, on 17 September and 5 November. The agenda for the meeting of 5 November covered a range of issues, including Core Funding, Garda Vetting, and Pension Auto-Enrolment.
The Term of Reference for the Forum are published on the Department’s website along with membership details. Minutes of meetings are uploaded once they are agreed.
Furthermore, both the local City and County Childcare Committees and Pobal the Scheme Administrator are available to assist service providers facing operational concerns with Core Funding.
The Department will continue to engage with the sector, and continue to develop the scheme so that it can continue to see the high uptake levels it has seen this year, and indeed since it was launched in 2022.
68. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the costs associated with privately outsourced residential services for people with disabilities for the years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date 2025; the geographical spread of these services; and the amount paid to each relevant company for the year in question. [72529/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
69. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the data her Department has on the number of people with Down's syndrome in Ireland, by age profile of people and levels of support required for them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72833/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department provides funding to the HSE to deliver specialist community based disability services to persons with complex needs arising from an intellectual, physical, sensory or neurological disability. Services and supports are provided based on need rather than on the basis of diagnosis. For this reason the Department does not collate data on service users based on diagnosis. In addition, the data available to the Department in this regard relates to those who require specialist supports, rather than the population at large.
Data on persons availing of specialist services is available from the National Ability Supports System (NASS), which is managed by the Health Research Board (HRB).
The HRB provides research and data to support evidence-based policy and service planning. Information on the NASS is recorded by service providers identifying services received or required for individuals as a result of an intellectual disability; developmental delay; physical, sensory, neurological, learning, and speech and/or language disabilities; or autism and is used by the Department and the HSE to aid service planning.
The 2024 NASS bulletin on disabilities reports that in 2024 there were 19,261 adults with an intellectual disability, amounting to 56% of adult service users.
Of these service users;
- 38% are between 20 and 34
- 45% are between 35 and 60
- 17% are over 60
Support levels among these service users will by service type, however:
- 7,844 avails of a residential service
- 2,761 receive personal assistance and/or home support
- 5,563 are in a day service
Additionally, 10,910 adults with an intellectual disability avail of therapy or social supports, with the most common of these being:
- Social work (4,476)
- Nursing (3,925)
- Speech and Language Therapy (3,685)
Other services availed of by those with an intellectual disability include respite, however data on the disability type of these service users is collected less systematically.
In terms of unmet need among adults with an intellectual disability:
- 1,930 are reported to require a residential place now or in the next five years
- 416 require personal assistance or home support.
- 2,662 are reported to require therapy or social work
An additional 2,416 people are reported to require a day service while 1,316 require overnight respite, however, this data is not broken down by disability type.
70. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the next round of funding for the building blocks scheme will be announced. [73391/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the National Development Plan review the allocation for early learning and childcare capital investment is €197 million over the next five years.
This funding will allow for investment in buildings as part of the new State-led early learning and childcare programme, continued investment in expansion of existing early learning and childcare operators through the Building Blocks scheme and a number of quality initiatives including supports to childminders.
As announced in the context of Budget 2026, €36 million will be available in 2026 for early learning and childcare capital programmes. Part of this allocation will fund existing Building Blocks grantees to undertake their projects in 2026.
2026 will also see the launch of a further iteration of Building Blocks. Officials in the Department are currently examining options and detailed specifications for this scheme, and I expect to announce details in early 2026.
71. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which the plans announced recently for assessment of needs will help to reduce waiting list for the 18,000 children currently waiting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72861/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe delivery of an effective, efficient Assessment of Need system is a priority for the Government. There has been intensive work by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the HSE to address delays in the provision of 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 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 Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or Mental Health Services.
However, 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. The impact of this increased demand has contributed to there being over 18,000 applications overdue for completion nationwide at the end of September- a 42% increase on this time last year.
More positively, there has been continued improvement in the number of completed assessment of need reports. Over 4,500 reports were completed in the first nine months of this year – a 57% increase compared to the same period last year.
This improvement has bolstered by significant investment by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality in the Targeted Waitlist Initent) Bill 2025 which outlines these proposed changes was approved by Government on 9 December and will be published on the Department’s website shortly.
iative 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.
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 changes to Part 2 of the Disability Act, 2005, which provides for Assessments of Need.
Any proposed legislative 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.
Other aspects of the reform include:
• The development of statutory guidelines to ensure that AONs focus on identifying a child’s needs, engaging in more intensive assessments only where required to identify need. This should help reduce delays and allow therapists to spend more time delivering services.
• The establishment by the HSE of eleven new teams, initially, to support HSE assessment processes, including Assessments of Need. Each team will include a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist, and an administrator, providing clinical guidance throughout the process.
• 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 of need reports.
The provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system continues to be a priority for the Government.
72. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the level of staff vacancies across the AON teams and CDNTs in Dublin, in tabular form; the measures the HSE has undertaken to recruit and retain more staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72848/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraChildren’s Disability Network Team (CDNT) staffing is reported on through an annual survey to capture the full workforce across the HSE, Section 38 and Section 39 funded teams. The survey captures staffing levels across various disciplines and grades, providing a snapshot of the workforce across 93 teams. Alongside the provision of integrated therapy supports for children, CDNT staff also play a vital role, along with colleagues in Primary Care and CAMHS, in the provision of clinical assessments for the Assessment of Need process.
The latest Children’s Disability Network Teams workforce survey available was conducted in April 2025. As of this date, there were 2009 posts filled in CDNTs and there were 445.4 posts vacant.
This report outlines continued growth in CDNT staffing in all regions and a corresponding reduction in vacancy rates. There is an overall national increase of 8% in staffing in CDNTs workforce, compared to October 2024. This means there is an overall reduction in unfilled posts from 29% (October 2023) to 18% (April 2025) and an overall growth in workforce of 414.5 WTE since October 2023.
The continued increase in staffing and reduction in vacancies is a welcome and needed increase, however there is an acute need for sustained improvement in the workforce profile to meet the needs of children with disabilities and their families and to address the lengthy waiting lists for services.
An updated workforce profile will be available in January 2026 based on workforce review which took place in October 2025.
The following table provides an overview of staffing of AON Assessment Officers, Liaison Officers and Administrative Officers in the HSE Dublin and Midlands Region as of September 2025. The HSE records this data on a regional basis, and so figures are not available for Dublin only.
Please note that while these staff are responsible for the delivery of Assessments of Need, they are supported by a range of staff across HSE Clinical Teams and through Private Procurement who support in the provision of clinical assessments that may be required to inform an Assessment Report.
AON Assessment Officers and Liaison Officer Capacity in HSE Dublin and Midlands
|
CHO & Region |
Assessment Officers (AO) in post (WTE) |
AO vacant (WTE) |
Total funded AO posts |
Liaison Officers (LO) in post (WTE) |
LO vacancies (WTE) |
Total funded Liaison Officers posts |
GIII/IV/V Admin support to AO or LO specifically |
|
HSE Dublin & Midlands |
7 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
3.5 |
There are substantial ongoing workforce initiatives and efforts to fill funded vacancies, and work continues at pace to increase staffing rates across CDNTs. The HSE and CDNT Lead Agencies work actively and collaboratively to improve and optimise recruitment into CDNTs and wider disabilities, which in turn has a positive impact on retaining the staff currently working in CDNTs and Disabilities.
These initiatives include:
• The HSE has developed a comprehensive engagement platform for candidates which now hosts more than 50k members. There is a specific area developed for the Disability services which markets its unique features and opportunities. Funded agencies that use this route are reporting a rise in eligible applicants to fill their vacant posts, which is resulting in expedited filling of vacant jobs.
• The HSE has developed a competitive relocation package to support recruitment from overseas with a renewed focus on Irish trained graduates who emigrated.
• In May 2025 the HSE launched the first ever virtual recruitment fair, profiling Disabilities which had global reach. This unique event showcased career opportunities within the HSE and its Partner Organisations in disabilities, offering an insider’s perspective on the rewarding world of disability services. Over 2000 engaged with the event. In addition, significant work has been completed between the HSE and CORU to streamline the processing for overseas candidates.
• The HSE has opened up relevant HSE recruitment panels to CDNT Section 38s and Section 39s so they could fill their vacant posts directly from in-situ panels and thus expedite the recruitment process, taking a whole health service approach.
• Fast track and targeted initiatives have been developed to focus on positions in the disability services that have been chronically ‘unable to fill’. This initiative has resulted in the filling of a number long term vacant posts.
• A Student Sponsorship initiative was launched for Disabilities in early April to incentivise and expedite the recruitment of new graduates into Disability roles - this is a financial award mapped to a job match for OT, SLT, Physio and Social Work and will benefit all regions. Almost 50 new graduates have taken up posts in CDNTs on foot of this initiative.
These activities form part of an ongoing suite of initiatives to populate vacancies, increase retention and improve the capacity to deliver services in Children’s Disability Network Teams utilising all recruitment markets - both domestic and international.
73. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the implementation of a single-point-of-access system, which will make it easier for families of children considered to have a need to be referred to the right service, whether that is a children's disability network team, primary care or child and adolescent mental health services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72981/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government and I recognise the importance of early intervention for children with disabilities and ensuring they receive the right services at the right time.
The HSE has been developing a Single Point of Access referral model. This will ensure that children are referred to the appropriate healthcare service, whether that is Primary Care , Disability and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), at an early stage. As a result, children will not be put on multiple waiting lists or be passed from one service to another.
A National Single Point of Access (SPoA) Implementation Group was established in August 2025, to provide oversight of the implementation of SPoA project within each Regional Health Area (RHA) for Children's Community Services.
September 2025 six engagement events were held with key stakeholders involved in the delivery of Children’s Services including Children Disability Network Teams, CAMHS, Primary Care, family representatives, funded agencies and wider stakeholders to foster collaboration amongst all stakeholders
The HSE will continue the operationalisation of this initiative throughout 2026. To ensure smooth execution and oversight of the SPoA at a regional level, each of the six RHAs has prepared submit detailed implementation plans, aligned with national policy and local context.
The rollout will be supported by the continued development of the HSE Community Connects ICT system, which aims to bring all community health services onto one shared digital system.
I trust this information is of assistance to you, but should you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me.
74. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the recently announced reforms to the assessment of need process will address regional disparities, especially in Cork where there are severe shortages; if regions with the longest waiting lists will receive priority hiring and deployment of in reach teams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72283/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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 on/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.
Application numbers for the four Cork LHOs increased by 29% to 1,497 in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period in 2024. At the same time, the number of completed assessment of need reports increased by 15.5% to 760 for the same period compared to 2024. This is in line with an overall increase in both applications and in completed reports nationally.
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.
As part of the reforms to the Assessment of Need process, additional supports will be provided for the assessment officers including:
• The development of new statutory guidelines to ensure that Assessments of Need focus on identifying a child’s needs, engaging in more intensive assessments only where required to identify those needs.
• The establishment by the HSE of eleven new teams, initially, to support HSE assessment processes, including Assessments of Need. Each team will include a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist, and an administrator, providing clinical guidance where required throughout the process. The final design, specific functions and locations of the teams are currently being finalised by the HSE.
• A continued focus by the HSE on the training and development of assessment officers.
The Department is also working with the HSE to identify further opportunities to enhance processes and increase administrative supports for HSE assessment officers.
The provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system continues to be a priority for the Government.
75. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the First Programme Plan of Action to deliver the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 will make meaningful changes to the lives of people with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72862/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for this question. I am delighted to say that the First Programme Plan of Action to deliver the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 was published by Government on 8th December 2025.
The First Programme Plan commits Government to the delivery of a range of priority measures throughout 2026 that will have very real and positive impacts on the daily lives of disabled people. Taken together, the commitments contained within the First Programme Plan demonstrate Government's determination to implement a range of ambitious and impactful measures that will make a real difference to advancing the rights of disabled people within our country.
The whole of government approach set out in both the Strategy and the First Programme Plan of Action will ensure strong delivery on the changes required across:
• Inclusive learning and education
• Employment
• Independent Living and Active Participation in Society
• Wellbeing and Health
• Transport and Mobility
Work on priority measures that has already commenced, include the establishment of a Working Group on Irish Sign Language. In 2026, this Group will examine ways to increase the supply of Irish Sign Language interpreters.
Work on establishing a Strategic Focus Network on the Cost of Disability, led by the Department of Social Protection, has also commenced with initial meetings having taken place with disability groups.
