2739. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people waiting over three months for their assessment of need to be initiated; and the number of people waiting over six months, nine months, one year, by HSE area. [58575/26]

2740. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people waiting over six months for their assessment of need to be completed; the number of people waiting over nine months, 12 months, and 15 months, by HSE area. [58576/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2739 and 2740 together.

The delivery of an effective, efficient Assessment of Need system is a priority for the Government.

There has been intensive work by the 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 report 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 the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child. From 2024 to 2025 applications increased from 10,690 to 13,186 with 7,100 applications already received in the first 6 months of this year. This demand is outpacing the capacity of the system to respond resulting in over 23,000 applications overdue for completion at the end of June 2026.

There has been intensive work by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the HSE to address delays in the provision of Assessments of Need. This is evident in the 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. The HSE reports that 3,043 Assessment of Need reports were completed in the first six months of 2026. This improvement is welcome and must continue.

It is unclear what it meant by the initiation of an Assessment of Need. However, according to the statutory timelines set out in the legislation, the assessment process should be commenced within 3 months of the date of receipt of a completed AON application, and the full assessment process should be completed within three months from the date on which the assessment process is commenced. The HSE provides data on the number of applications overdue to commence Stage 2 of the AON process, that is where Stage 2 has not commenced within 3 months of the receipt of a completed application. The HSE defines Stage 2 of the Assessment of Need process as commencing when the HSE Assessment Officer requests a professional assessment. The most recent data provided by the HSE reports that 5,337 applications started Stage 2 in the first 6 months of 2026, with 27% of those falling within the 3-month timeline.

The duration of the Assessment of Need process varies for each individual application and is dependent on a number of factors including the complexity of each case and whether multi-disciplinary or single discipline input and clinical assessments are required. As such, it is not possible to provide a breakdown of waiting time for individual assessments. However, the HSE reports that in Q2 2026, the average duration of the assessment process per report completed nationally was 24.3 months. As this is a national figure, there will be regional variations with some AONs being delivered within a shorter timeframe

HSE data on the number of applications overdue for completion at the end of June is set out in the table below. The HSE does not provide data on the number overdue for completion by 9, 12 or 15 months.

In December 2025 Government announced a series of improvements to the Assessment of Need process which will make it 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 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 assets.gov.ie/static/documents/2fc0c49e/20260324-FAQ-Version-1.1-CLEARED.pdf.

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. This includes the establishment of working groups to address learning and development needs and to develop statutory guidelines.

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 in 2026 which 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.

• Implementation by the HSE of the Autism Assessment and Intervention Pathways Protocol, announced in May 2026, which will provide a standardised assessment process across primary care, mental health and disability services. It will be the preferred assessment route for autism. A dedicated webpage for the Protocol is also available on the Department’s website. assets.gov.ie/static/documents/dc3ff710/Autism_Protocol_FAQ_May_2026.pdf.

• The creation of eleven new HSE teams, initially, to support assessment processes, including AON, providing clinical guidance and administrative supports.

It is intended that these improvements to the AON process will result in a noticeable reduction in waiting times for children and their families across the country.