Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I answered some of this earlier in response to a different question. Just to get a sense of perspective, progress is being made even within the existing system. There is no doubt there is a significant increase in people waiting. However, over 4,000 assessments were completed in 2024, a 30% increase on 2023. Some 1,400 assessments were completed in the first three months of this year, a 65% increase compared with the same period last year. A total of 2,479 assessments were commissioned from private providers at a cost of nearly €7 million, targeting the longest waiting families through the HSE's waiting list initiative. We will do everything we can to accelerate procedures, but we need to change the legislation so that we prioritise access for children to therapies. At the moment, the way things are legislated for, it is the assessment of need first and then there is a long delay while they are awaiting access to services. The CDNTs are getting more people recruited and that is also a positive.

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