111. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the urgent additional measures are being taken to bring down the number on waiting lists for assessment of needs in County Mayo. [65971/26]

The Department and the HSE are working intensively to address delays in the provision of Assessments of Need to children and their families.

There has been significant increase in demand for Assessment of Need in recent years. Applications for Assessment of Need have risen from 4,700 in 2020 to over 13,000 in 2025, reflecting both the increase in population and the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child.

However, there has been progress over the past two years with a noticeable increase in the number of completed applications. Over 5,900 AON reports were completed in 2025 – a 43% increase compared to 2024. 3,043 assessment reports have been completed in the first six months of 2026. This improvement must continue.

Significant legislative and operational work is underway to improve the AON process and reduce waiting times. This includes continuation of the Targeted Waitlist Initiative, improved training and guidelines for Assessment Officers and targeted amendment of the Disability (Amendment) Bill to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Assessment of Need process.

Of course, improving access to services and supports in the wider disability sector remains a priority. Supports can and do continue through Primary Care, Children’s Disability Services Teams, and CAMHs. Children do not need an Assessment of Need to access any of these services, nor does having an AON speed up access to supports. Families can access and apply for services directly through the HSE.

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

• The Single Point of Access referral model is being introduced by the HSE and should make it easier for families to be referred to the right service as early as possible.

• The Autism Assessment and Intervention Protocol is being implemented by the HSE and will be the preferred assessment route for autism assessment.

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

These improvements should result in a noticeable reduction in waiting times for children and their families across the country, so that they can access the supports they need as early as possible.