2831. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the waiting lists for those awaiting AONs, by time and county; and the projected waiting list by the end of the year, in tabular form and if she will make a statement on the matter [59894/26]

2845. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the changes proposed to AONs and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59902/26]

2846. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans for assessing the best means of carrying out assessments of needs and therapies provision for those with autism and if she will make a statement on the matter [59881/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2831, 2845 and 2846 together.

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

The HSE is implementing actions to address the wider issue of access to services and supports for children with disabilities.

The HSE is working to implement the Autism Assessment and Intervention Pathways Protocol, launched in May this year. It 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 https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/dc3ff710/Autism_Protocol_FAQ_May_2026.pdf for the Protocol is available on the Department’s website.

Furthermore, the HSE is leading the initial creation of eleven new teams to support assessment processes, including Assessment of Need, providing clinical guidance and administrative supports.

Children’s disability services are primarily focused on therapeutic supports for children and young people with complex requirements, including those with autism and other neurodiverse needs. The National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (PDS) (2009) is the guiding policy for children’s services. The National Policy on Access to Services for Children & Young People with Disability & Developmental Delay (2019) is intended to provide staff with national criteria and a framework for access to services under the PDS policy.

PDS is a needs-led model of service, where a child does not require a diagnosis to access services, and Children’s Disability Network Teams provide a multidisciplinary assessment of individual needs and strengths, in line with the UNCRPD and rights-based approach. The policy aims to provide for all children with significant disability, regardless of diagnosis, where they live or where they attend school. It led to the establishment of Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs), which assess children with complex needs and provide multi-disciplinary supports to meet their needs.

The HSE continues to progress actions to address the wider issue of access to services and supports for children with disabilities. The Single Point of Access (SPoA) model is being rolled out by the HSE this year and will make it easier for families to be referred to the right service as early as possible, whether that be Primary Care, CDNT or Mental Health services. This approach aims to streamline referrals and reduce duplication, so children do not end up on multiple waiting lists.

It is important to emphasise that children do not require an Assessment of Need to access health services or education supports. A parent can refer their child directly to Primary Care or Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs) while a GP referral is required to access CAMHS. Information on how to access the appropriate health service for a child is available on the HSE website.

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. Between 2022 and 2025, applications for Assessments of Need almost doubled rising from 6,755 to 13,186 and are continuing to increase 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 almost double the number completed in 2022 (3,071). 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.

The HSE does not provide data at county level, but data is provided at Regional Health Area (RHA) and the most recent data provided by the HSE is for Q2 2026. HSE data on the number of applications overdue for completion at the end of June is set out in the table below:

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 https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/8305aa31/DisabilityAmendmentBill_GeneralScheme_022026.pdfThe Joint Committee on Disability Matters has published its report, following pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill, and the Department is considering its recommendations. An https://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.

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. 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.

2832. Reply not received from Department.