26. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children on all waiting lists for the Cashel and Clonmel, County Tipperary, children's disability network teams, including the number waiting on an initial contact, waiting on an assessment of needs and waiting on each of the therapy supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43539/24]

In the first instance, I wish to highlight that children do not require a diagnosis or an Assessment of Need as defined by the Disability Act (2005) in order to access a CDNT service. They can be referred by a healthcare professional, parent/carer to the CDNT for children with complex needs as a result of their disability, or to Primary Care for children with non-complex needs.

The core focus of the HSE’s Children’s Disability Services is to ensure that children, with complex interdisciplinary needs, and their families receive an appropriate and accessible family centred service.

With regard to particular locations in Tipperary, Cashel is CDNT 4 and Clonmel is CDNT 5. There are currently 402 children on all waiting lists within CDNT 4. This includes access and assessments to SLT, OT, Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, Autism Diagnosis, Dietetics and Physiotherapy.

In CDNT 5, there are currently 119 children on all waiting lists which include access or assessments to SLT, OT, Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, Autism Diagnosis, Dietetics and Physiotherapy.

The HSE advise that there is currently a national campaign for basic grade clinicians for all disciplines specific to the South East region including Tipperary South. In conjunction with this, there is a regional campaign for senior clinicians of all disciplines for the South East including Tipperary South.

The HSE has informed me that there are no children on a waiting list for commencement of their Assessment of Need (AON) application. All completed applications under AON commence within one week of being received.