Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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143. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the means by which the proposed reforms to the assessment of need process will contribute to reducing the current backlog of over 18,000 children awaiting assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61542/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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This Government recognises that waiting times for Assessment of Need are too long. The provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system continues to be a Government priority.

It is important to emphasise that, while children have a right to apply for an Assessment of Need, they do not need one to access health services, including those provided by Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or Mental Health Services. Nevertheless, demand for Assessments of Need has increased significantly in recent years, a reflection of both the increase in population and the number of families exploring all options for accessing services for their child.

The Department and the HSE have been working to address these delays in accessing Assessments of Need and I am pleased to say that there has been progress made in in this area. Over the past 2 years, there has been a noted improvement in the number of completed Assessment reports. Over 4,100 were completed in 2024, an increase of 30% compared to 2023. HSE data shows this trend is continuing with a 57% year-on-year increase in completed assessments in the first nine months of this year.

This has been achieved by a number of measures, including the Assessment of Need Targeted Waitlist Initiative. The Initiative targets those families waiting longest for Assessments of Need, with the HSE reimbursing clinicians directly through the procurement of capacity from approved private providers. Recent HSE data shows that over 6,300 clinical assessments have been commissioned from private providers since the Initiative started in June 2024. Budget 2026 provides for the continuation of this Initiative next year with €20 million provided for the delivery of some 6,000 clinical assessments.

While it is important to use private capacity to support the completion of Assessments of Need into 2026, we cannot rely on the private sector indefinitely and we must ensure that the public system can meet the clearly growing demand. This Department is working with the HSE to ensure the delivery of actions to support the efficient delivery of Assessments of Need within the public system. This includes improved training for staff involved in the delivery of Assessments of Need, additional administrative supports, and changes to processes where necessary to ensure an efficient and effective system.

The Department is currently considering potential legislative changes to Part 2 of the Disability Act, to support the effectiveness and efficiency of the Assessment of Need process. The Department has been working with HSE senior management and experienced clinicians to identify those changes, with the intention of bringing forward legislation in the final quarter of this year. It is important to note that any changes will not affect the statutory right of any individual to access an Assessment of Need or the statutory timeframes set out in the Act.

The provision of an effective and efficient Assessment of Need system continues to be a priority for the Government.