Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2026
190. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current waiting times for assessment of need for children in Cork north-west; the measures being taken to reduce delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40685/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere has been intensive work by this Department and the HSE to address delays in the provision of Assessments of Need to children and their families.
Children do not require an Assessment of Need to access health services, including Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or Mental Health Services, or education supports.
However, demand for Assessments of Need has increased significantly in recent years, reflecting both the increase in population and families exploring all options to access services for their child.
Applications for Assessment if Need have risen from 4,700 applications in 2020 to over 13,000 in 2025. Unfortunately, this demand is outpacing the capacity of the system to respond.
The HSE does not provide data on a constituency basis, however data is reported by Regional Health Area (RHA) and Local Health Office (LHO). The most recent figures for the Cork Local Health Offices are as below:
• 1,894 applications overdue for completion
• 164 of these were overdue for less a month
• 206 were overdue for between 1 and 3 month and
• The remainder, 1,524, were overdue by more than 3 months
These totals reflect the high number of applications received in these LHOs, with 552 applications received from January to March this year. In total, 2,056 applications were received in the area in 2025, compared to 1,568 in 2024, reflecting the growing demand for Assessment of Need nationally.
More positively, there has been continued improvement in the number of completed Assessment of Need reports, with 5,939 reports completed nationally in 2025. This is a 43% increase compared to the number completed in 2024. This improvement must continue.
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. 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 also 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.
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. 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.
• Launch of the Autism Assessment and Intervention Pathways Protocol. The Protocol 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.
