Assessment of need and autism services
Deputy Bacik raised Cara Darmody's protest over delays in assessments of need and autism services, including confusion over private assessment reimbursement. The Tánaiste said protests are not policy and suggested legislation may be needed to improve the assessment system.
The Tánaiste will know that the young campaigner for autism services, Cara Darmody, is continuing her protest this week outside Leinster House. I pay tribute to Cara's tenacity in organising her campaign. She is calling for access to assessments of need and services for all children, and an end to the scandalous waiting lists that far too many are facing. Some time ago, the HSE stated in response to a parliamentary question I tabled that it does not reimburse families for private assessments where the State has failed to provide one in a timely fashion. However, that HSE reply is contradicted by the experience of Cara's family in the case of Cara's own brothers Neil and John. Is the HSE only prepared to vindicate the rights of autistic children and children with special needs if their family causes it sufficient embarrassment through protest and in the media? Is that the official policy of the HSE? What is the Government going to do to ensure every child who needs an assessment will receive one from the State in a timely fashion? Can the Tánaiste guarantee that a diagnosis will give rise to the necessary access to supports and services regardless of a child's needs or where they live?
Comment on this
It is not the policy, nor should it be the policy, that responses occur via protests alone. Every child is entitled, in my view, to the fundamentals. There was a court action which effectively meant the HSE had to go back to the drawing board with regard to the assessment of need process. We may have to look at legislation in that respect. It would be interesting to see how the Oireachtas would respond to such legislation. Assessment is very important, and proper intervention should follow. I am on record as saying that the HSE's response to some of those interventions, which is that it cannot recruit to the children’s disability network teams and so on, has not been satisfactory. I would have a view, as I have for quite a long time, regarding alternative ways of dealing with this. We are progressing that in the Government at the moment.