2741. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of assessments of needs that were carried out in 2025 and to date in 2026 in CHO6 and CHO7 Wicklow, by month, in tabular format; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58860/26]

2742. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being implemented to reduce the waiting timeframes for AON assessment as many are exceeding the statutory six-month timeline under the Disability Act 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58861/26]

2745. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children on the waiting list for an assessment of need for a diagnosis of autism in CHO6 and CHO7 County Wicklow, broken down by three, six, nine, 12, and 24 plus months, in tabular format; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59485/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2741, 2742 and 2745 together.

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

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.

An increase in the number of completed AON reports is also evident in the Local Health Office areas that cover Wicklow (Kildare/West Wicklow and Wicklow), rising from 268 completed applications in the first 6 months of 2025 to 374 in the first half of 2026, a 39% increase. This improvement is welcome and must continue.

In late 2024, the HSE Community Health Area (CHO) structure was replaced by six Regional Health Areas (RHA) and the HSE has reported Assessment of Need data at Regional Health Area level since the start of 2025. The HSE does not provide data on a county or monthly basis, but data is provided Local Health Office (LHO) on a quarterly basis. Data on the number of completed reports for Kildare/West Wicklow and the Wicklow LHO areas is provided in the table below.

Table 1. Number of completed applications in Kildare/West Wicklow and Wicklow LHO 2025 and 2026

It is not possible to determine how many applications for an Assessment of Need were made for the purpose of obtaining an autism assessment. However, data for the first 6 months of 2026 show that ‘autism spectrum disorder’ was noted as the main category of disability for 52% of the 3,043 completed Assessment of Need reports. It is important to emphasise that an application for an Assessment of Need is not required to access an autism assessment. 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.

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 of the Autism Assessment and Intervention Pathways Protocol, by the HSE, announced in May 2026, which will provide a standardised assessment process across primary care, mental health and disability services. It will also be the preferred assessment route for autism.

A dedicated assets.gov.ie/static/documents/2fc0c49e/20260324-FAQ-Version-1.1-CLEARED.pdf for the Protocol is also available on the Department’s website.

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.