3109. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the waiting times for an assessment of need in County Offaly. [64082/26]

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

It is important to emphasise that children do not require an Assessment of Need to access health services such as Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs), Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHs), 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 make a referral is available on the HSE website: www2.hse.ie/babies-children/disabilities/services/getting-a-referral/.

The HSE does not provide data at county level, but data is provided at Regional Health Area (RHA) level. The most recent data provided for Laois/Offaly LHO by the HSE for Q2 2026 shows that 138 Assessment of Need reports were completed by the end of June while 334 applications were received during the same period and 933 applications were overdue.

As the Deputy is aware, the General Scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill has been published on the Department’s website: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/8305aa31/DisabilityAmendmentBill_GeneralScheme_022026.pdf. The Joint Committee on Disability Matters has published its report, following pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill, and the Department is considering its recommendations. An FAQ document is available online (https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/2fc0c49e/20260324-FAQ-Version-1.1-CLEARED.pdf, providing information on Assessment of Need and the proposed changes.

The Department and HSE continue work on identifying further opportunities to enhance the Assessment of Need process, improve training, and increase administrative supports for HSE Assessment Officers, including through the development of statutory guidelines. Over time, these operational improvements, along with legislative change, should improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Assessment of Need process, and result in a noticeable reduction in waiting times for children and their families across the country.