Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If there is one group that knows what is right for children with special educational requirements, it is their parents. Their love for their children is unconditional and they will fight and lobby to ensure their children get the appropriate supports in a timely manner. In my experience, the parents of children with special educational requirements are the bravest and most determined people I know. They never, ever give up.

Last Friday night I was delighted to attend a fundraiser in support of ASD Ireland at Our Lady of Lourdes National School, in Limerick, a fantastic school. It was organised with the full support of the school by Helen Connolly, mother of Jack, who has autism and attends the school. Her fight was not just for her son but for all the kids in that school. This is so typical of parents of children with special needs. They will do everything and anything for their child but they need the State to step up to the mark as well.

The Government is failing children who have disabilities and additional needs. Parents must battle tooth and nail to access supports for their children. This is abundantly clear when we look at the backlog of assessments. Parents should not have to contact my constituency office or any other constituency office to try to have their children assessed more quickly. Waiting for an assessment is extremely stressful for parents, as is not knowing what the issue is. In the mid-west region the waiting lists are extremely concerning. As of October 2021, 148 children were waiting 12 to 18 months for an initial speech and language assessment, with an incredible 53 people waiting more than 24 months. For even one child to be waiting that long is a scandal. That is two years during which children and their development are damaged. That is not just what I believe; it is what the experts say repeatedly. This is not some sort of anomaly; unfortunately, it seems to be the norm. These are young people in the best years of their lives and their development is being stymied because the State cannot provide them with assessments in a timely manner.

Awareness of children with special educational requirements has come on leaps and bounds in the past decade. Children with additional needs can live full and happy lives, as can their parents, if they are assessed early with the correct structures and supports put in place. The Disability Act 2005 provides that an assessment of need must be commenced and completed within a six-month period.

In too many cases, this timeframe is missed. It is disgraceful that so many families had to take court cases against the State because of its failure to deliver prompt assessment of a child's needs. Parents should never have to do that. Initial assessment should be within the requirement set out in the Disability Act.

Like most things in our health service, we have a two-tier reality when it comes to the provision of assessments. Many parents, both those who can and cannot afford it, opt to pay for private assessment of needs and therapies as the child cannot afford to wait for public appointments. The Government needs to end this debacle and outline what steps it will take to sort this issue.

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