Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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150. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on assessments of need waiting lists in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28426/26]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The delivery of an effective, efficient Assessment of Need system is a priority for the Government.

There has been intensive work by the Department and the HSE to address delays in the provision of Assessments of Need to children and their families.

Children do not require an Assessment of Need to access health services, including Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or Mental Health Services.

However, demand for Assessments of Need has increased significantly in recent years, reflecting both the increase in population and families exploring all options to access services for their child.

Applications for Assessment of Need have risen from 4,700 applications in 2020 to over 13,000 in 2025. Unfortunately, this demand is outpacing the capacity of the system to respond.

As a result, HSE data shows that the number of applications over for completion rose to over 20,200 nationally by the end of last year. This is an unacceptable situation and one that must be addressed.

HSE data is not available by county, it is provided at Regional Health Area (RHA) and Local Health Office (LHO) level. The most recent HSE data reports 1,171 AON reports as overdue for completion in Meath LHO at the end of 2025.

These numbers are stark, and each one represents a child or young person. I want to see this situation change so that families do not have to wait so long for their AON application to be processed.

Change is happening. We have seen a notable increase in the number of completed AON reports nationally over the past two years. Over 5,900 reports were completed in 2025 – a 43% increase compared to 2024, and an 85% increase compared to 2023.

We need to see more. That is why, in December 2025, Government announced a series of improvements to the Assessment of Need process which will make it more effective and efficient for children and families. Over time, this should lead to a reduction in the waiting time to receive an assessment.

I want to reassure parents that any proposed legislative changes will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an Assessment of Need for their child. They will also not alter the six-month timeline in the Act.

The General Scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill has been published on the Department’s website. The Joint Committee on Disability Matters has published its report, following pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill, and the Department is considering its recommendations. An FAQ document (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/from-subject-received-size-categories-aoife-carragher-dcde-fw-dcde-website-aon-1532-1-mb/) has also been published, providing information on Assessment of Need and the proposed changes.

I am determined that improvements to the AON process will result in a noticeable reduction in waiting times for children and their families across the country.