Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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85. To ask the Minister for Health the action he will take to ensure that children with suspected disabilities have a needs assessment within the legal time limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22598/13]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Here comes the lefty Minister.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I am sorry; I thought we were all done. I beg the Acting Chairman's pardon.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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The lefties are in now.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The egalitarian.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 was commenced on 1 June 2007 in respect of children aged under five. In 2008, the then Government decided, in the light of financial circumstances which the Deputies will recall, to defer further implementation of the Disability Act 2005 and the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004.

Part 2 of the Disability Act, inter alia, provides for an assessment of the needs of eligible applicants occasioned by their disability to be commenced within three months of receipt of an application and completed within a further three months.

There has been a very significant rise in overall activity around the assessment process in recent years in respect of the children now encompassed by the process. The number of assessment reports received in 2012 was 3,505, which is at least 400 more than in 2010. It is worth noting that in the period 2010 to 2012 more than 8,200 reports were completed. While the HSE recognises that it faces significant challenges in respect of meeting the statutory timeframes that apply to the assessment of need process, given the number and complexity of cases, it is endeavouring to address the issue from available resources.

While a delay in assessment or intervention for any child is not desirable, the assessment process under the Disability Act can take place in parallel with any intervention that is identified as being necessary. The HSE has issued guidance to its staff that where there is a delay in the assessment process, this should not affect the delivery of necessary and appropriate interventions identified for a particular child. In addition, targeted action plans have been in place since early 2011. Measures have included prioritising assessments, holding additional clinics, contracting the private sector to conduct assessments and reconfiguring resources to target areas of greatest need. These plans are monitored on a monthly basis by the HSE centrally.

Following the publication of a report commissioned from the National Disability Authority, NDA, by the Department of Health and the HSE, a major emphasis is being placed on reconfiguring disability services for children into geographically-based early-intervention and school-age teams as part of the progressing disability services for children and young people programme, which is under way. The NDA report indicated that where integrated teams were operating, the assessment of need process ran more smoothly. It found that there was no single solution to remove all the challenges to operating statutory assessments of need. A meeting involving the Department, the HSE and the NDA has been arranged for early June to discuss the report further.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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We will pause there. I thank the Deputies for their questions.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I did not get an answer to the question.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I know that, but we are moving on to the next item of business.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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That answer is completely at variance with the reality on the ground.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Like the rest of them.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are 760 children waiting over six months.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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It is Deputy Martin's question.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Alex White is the Minister of State.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy White is in the hot seat.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Kelleher. We are moving on to the next item of business. I thank the Deputies for their questions and the Minister and Minister of State for their answers.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Ten years ago, my party had a Minister for health.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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It was Deputy Martin's question.