653. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 892 of 4 February 2026, if she considers it acceptable that this child must wait 8 to 12 months for an assessment for autism; the actions she is taking to deal with the waiting lists; the indicative timeline for the reduction of the waiting time; the number of children in each of the CHO areas on waiting lists for assessment; the length of time each has been waiting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52723/26]

Families can seek a referral for an autism assessment through a healthcare provider such as their GP, local Primary Care team, a healthcare professional or, for children with complex needs, the local Children’s Disability Network Team.  It is acknowledged that there can be long waiting times for families seeking autism assessments within the public system.

Alongside Government and the HSE, I am now implementing the most comprehensive package of legislative, operational, and workforce reforms ever to streamline the process, increase capacity and ensure children’s needs are identified earlier, while fully protecting children’s statutory rights to assessment.

The Assessment of Need Targeted Waitlist Initiative was introduced by Government in May 2024 to support the delivery of Assessments of Need to those families who have been waiting longest.  Under the Targeted Waitlist Initiative, the HSE procures clinical assessments from approved private providers. These providers are reimbursed by the HSE for clinical assessments undertaken as part of the Assessment of Need process. By the end of 2025, over 7,700 clinical assessments had been commissioned from private providers since the Initiative started in June 2024.

Funding of €20 million is being provided this year to continue the Initiative, enabling the delivery of approximately 6,000 clinical assessments with a specific focus on autism assessments. The HSE recently established a new Panel of service providers to deliver these autism diagnostic assessments for children and adolescents under the Initiative. The Panel, which includes 29 providers, became operational in February 2026 and will be in place for one year, with an option to extend for a further year. These autism assessments will inform the Assessment of Need process.

On May 26th this year I was pleased to launch the new Autism Assessment and Intervention Pathway Protocol (Autism Protocol) with the HSE and my Government colleagues Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Minister for Disability, Emer Higgins.

The new protocol represents an important step in ensuring children and adults have access to appropriate and timely autism assessment processes and will, for the first time, provide a standardised assessment process across children’s disability network teams, primary care and mental health services.

Evidence tells us that some presentations of autism are easier to identify that others. Informed by this evidence the HSE have designed a protocol that will introduce a three-tiered approach to autism assessment. It will match the intensity of assessment to the complexity of the presentation, as decided by the assessing clinicians.

It is a pathway designed specifically for autism assessment, and this includes differential assessment and diagnosis, as required; as well as the development of a formulation to provide clearer understanding of the person’s lived experience, and the services and supports they require.

The Autism Protocol has been developed over a period of 5 years, with input from people with lived experience, civil society, all clinical disciplines involved in such assessments, as well as managers and service leaders across disability, primary care and mental health services.

To support implementation the Department secured funding in Budget 26 for In-Reach Teams, consisting of a Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist and an administrator. These teams will work with Health Areas to support and build capacity within community services, including mental health and primary care teams.

Implementation planning for the protocol within the regions will commence in Quarter 3 2026, to include relative briefing and training within the Regional Healthcare Areas. As the protocol and assessments generally form part of the service provision by disability, primary care, and/or mental health, there aren't specific autism assessment waiting lists.

It is expected that when fully rolled out, each of the 20 Integrated Health Areas will have one established In-Reach Team. The final design and respective roles of the teams are currently being finalised. Recruitment for the In-Reach teams will commence in Quarter 3 to Quarter 4.

Whilst it is not possible quantity impact at this stage, it is anticipated that the successful implementation of the Autism Protocol will help to reduce demand for Assessments of Need, through the provision of a more direct and clearer path to Autism assessment for children and their families. Clearer access pathways through existing services, such as Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams and CAMHS, should provide parents with an appropriate route to such an assessment, rather than through the more complex Assessment of Need system.

Both the Government and I remain committed to ensuring that children and their families who need early intervention, assessments and therapy input can access that support in a timely way.