Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government commits to reducing the waiting time for assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005. The Taoiseach is aware that parents of children with additional needs are currently before the courts in a bid to obtain this assessment of need for their children within the legally set timeframe, which, as he is also aware, is three months. I will not comment on individual cases, but the Taoiseach will know that any child who is thought to have additional needs is legally entitled to this assessment within three months under the Disability Act.

This timeframe is crucial because it recognises the importance of early intervention and support. It is scandalous that nine out of ten children who apply for an assessment do not have that assessment completed within the statutory timeframe and some wait for up to two years. The State forces parents into lengthy, stressful and expensive battles in the courts. This is not new. The State has behaved this way before. Brigid McCole, Louise O'Keeffe and Emma Mhic Mhathúna faced this. This attitude and approach need to change. As Head of Government, will the Taoiseach act immediately to ensure that no other parent has to go to the courts to get the assessment of needs that his or her child is entitled to within three months?

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