Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
933. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health if she will address delays in access to occupational therapy for students whose sensory and regulation needs affect their participation in post-primary education; whether privately commissioned occupational therapy reports may be accepted for education-planning purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5519/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am very conscious of the vital role that Primary Care therapies play for children and adults. I am also acutely aware of the central role that these services play in offering the opportunity for early and cost-effective interventions for children and young people.
While it is important to recognise that overall activity within the eight Primary Care therapies is significant, with over 1.24 million therapy service users were seen across the eight Primary Care therapies nationally from January to November 2025, I fully acknowledge that waiting lists for Primary Care therapies have increased significantly in recent years.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that the increased pressure and demand on primary care therapy services is related to an increase in referrals, the increasing complexity of presentations (leading to longer interventions), and challenges related to recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in general and specialist services in the community.
To address the long waiting times for Primary Care therapy services, the Department of Health is currently engaging with the HSE on a focused Programmatic Approach to Primary Care Therapy Waiting List Management, to put in place considerable standardised infrastructure to support systematic responses to Primary Care waiting lists.
Under this programme of work, in September last year the I asked the CEO of the HSE to put measures in place to address Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech & Language Therapy waiting lists in the first instance. Beginning in Q4 2025 and continuing throughout 2026 the aim of this initiative is to reduce waiting times across these three therapy services to less than 10 months. This will lead to a significant improvement in numbers waiting, removing over 60,000 people, including children, from these waiting lists across these three therapies.
This initiative is being supported by the joint programmatic approach between the Department and the HSE, which aims to make an immediate impact, while also progressing sustainable reform across these therapies.
Regarding the requirements for assessments for schools and other educational institutions, my colleague, the Minister for Education would be best placed to address these matters and I would direct the Deputy to request that information from the Department of Education.
