Emer Higgins
Dublin Mid-West · Fine Gael · Ireland
“With regard to the background, and as the Senator has touched on, this project was designed on the basis of a 30-year operational lease, with the primary objective of delivering value for money over the lifetime of that lease.”
“Regarding the specific situation in Castlebar that the Senator has raised, Tusla has indicated that following careful consideration, including extensive negotiations, which he referred to, and legal mediation with the developers, it was unable to reach an agreement.”
“They came forward, often at enormous personal cost, and continued to seek answers and accountability when the very systems that should have protected them had failed. For many survivors of child sexual abuse, the abuse does not end when it stops.”
“The strongest projects are those that invest in feasibility studies, site assessments, stakeholder engagement and detailed design from the outset, because decisions made at the earliest stage often have the greatest impact on cost, quality and operational performance.”
“As a result, it made a significant uplift on its original offer. The additional increase sought could not be justified, however, when benchmarked against comparable projects across both Tusla and the HSE. That comes back to the value-for-money argument.”
“Justice Michael White for their significant work and acknowledge how deeply distressing the findings are. They reveal repeated missed opportunities, ignored warning signs and systemic failures that allowed abuse to occur over many years. Children who should have been protected were instead left vulnerable.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,089 lines we hold for Emer Higgins, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 22.
“Absolutely. Not only can we do better, we must do better in this area. This is maybe an opportunity to reference and thank the Committee on Disability Matters for its assistance in pre-legislative scrutiny of new reforms that we will introduce from an assessments of need perspective. On top of this, we are also recruiting for therapists to ensure we have enough people to be able to deliver the care that children like Eva, James and Ger's son require. This past year, we have seen a reduction in wait lists at our children's disability network teams, CDNTs. They reduced quite substantially last year and our aim is to reduce them again this year, while also dealing with the backlog of children who are waiting on assessments of need.”
“It is very exciting, and we really expect it to reap rewards. Challenges remain, however. Waiting lists and access times are too long, in particular, timely access to services, such as CDNT and primary care therapies, which remain a challenge across the country. To address this, the Department of Health and the Department of disability are currently working with the HSE on a focused programmatic approach to therapy waiting lists. This aims to put in place considerable standardised infrastructure to support systematic responses to waiting lists across the country. I am conscious of time but I will come back in again.”
“They will work collaboratively with primary care, disability and mental health teams to undertake those assessments and interventions, as appropriate. They will also be used to help address the issue of children waiting for autism assessments across the multiple waiting lists. We often get complaints from parents that children might be on a waiting list in primary care, CAMHS or a CDNT, but when they get to the top of the waiting list, somebody says they are on the wrong waiting list, and they go back to the start. This is aimed at stopping that from happening, ensuring there is no wrong door and that every point of access to the health service is co-ordinated. In particular for those seeking an assessment for autism, it will ensure they are looked at in this way. It will be very beneficial. I was at the launch.”
“Taken together, the protocol, the single point of access approach and the introduction of the community care record will help create a more joined-up and consistent experience for children and families accessing our health services, while improving clarity, co-ordination and speed of access to assessment and supports. To support the implementation of the autism protocol and improve service integration, new in-reach teams are being established, with 11 to be established this year and nine further teams next year. Those 20 teams will operate in each of the 20 regions. Recruitment to these in-reach teams will commence in quarter 3 of this year. The teams will be tasked with building capacity within existing services, supporting integration and improving the flow of client care.”
“In short, it is a streamlined referral pathway for children and youth mental health services, designed to help ensure that children and young people are directed to the right support at the right time through a single co-ordinated entry point. This is to be used and adopted right across the health services, whether it is through the CDNT team, primary care or CAMHS. It represents a milestone in improving services for children and families as it provides a more direct and clearer path for children and their families to autism assessment through existing services.”
“I thank the Senator for raising this and for giving me, as the Minister of State with responsibility for disability, the opportunity to respond. Too often, children and families can face duplication across waiting lists, whether that is through delays in access to therapy or delays while awaiting assessment. Our aim must be to ensure that these assessments support timely access to care, rather than becoming a barrier to it. The Government is committed to improving access to health services for children and families, and to ensuring that care is delivered as early as possible, as close to home as possible, in line with the principles and goals of Sláintecare. In May 2026, just last month, the HSE launched its autism assessment and intervention pathways protocol, which aligns with the new single point of access model.”
“I also welcome Deputy Keira Keogh and her visitors, Ciara and Grace. I welcome Samanta Augulytė. I welcome and congratulate the new Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin city and wish her a very successful year ahead. I thank Senator McCarthy for raising this important issue. In many ways, what he has articulated here today is the need for different Departments to work collaboratively. He spoke about special education, health services, therapies and assessments of need through the Department of disability. I agree it is important that we break down silos and ensure that disability is a priority for every Department. I am taking today's Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.”
“Ultimately, I thank everybody who works in this sector and the entrepreneurs who have invested and stood up businesses that are there to support families throughout the country. For everybody who works in this sector, it is a tough but really important job. It supports families, keeps our economy thriving and, most importantly, supports and educates children.”
“This will help to ensure that the benefits of Government investment continue to be passed on to parents and families, while providing stability and sustainability for the sector. I am conscious there is a number of other points in my speech but there are 44 seconds to go and it is 1.05 a.m. so I am sure people want this to be wrapped. Very quickly, I will mention that phase 2 of the national action plan for childminding is also something the Department is working on really closely with childminders and representative organisations. That will be part of the plan. The first five strategy, which is about families who now have access to up to 46 weeks of paid leave alongside unpaid leave entitlements, represents a significant investment in supporting parents as well. Taken together, these measures also help.”
“It is designed to deliver quality through investment in the workforce, including improved pay and conditions and support for graduate leadership within services. It is designed to deliver sustainability for providers through substantial and consistent investment in the sector distributed on an equitable basis. From its introduction, core funding has been subject to continuous evaluation and refinement and to ensuring that the scheme continues to evolve, respond to feedback and deliver value for money. For the fifth programme year, the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley, has announced an additional €20.6 million in new full-year funding, which will support services to maintain key fee-management measures, including the fee freeze and the minimum fee caps, supporting affordability for parents.”
“Alongside this, a suite of appraisal criteria tools have been developed to assess potential projects against key performance indicators, KPIs, such as quality, inclusion, accessibility and affordability. The Department is now assessing project options in order to identify which ones are best placed to deliver on the goals of the programme. Alongside investing in new capacity, we must continue to support the services already at the heart of communities across the funding. That is what core funding is for. It is designed to help to deliver affordability for parents through ensuring no fee increases, maximum fee caps and offering the national childhood scheme and the early childhood care and education programmes to all eligible children.”
“This programme will commence this year with investment in buildings, marking a significant milestone for the Department. Capital funding will support the acquisition or fit-out, or both, of buildings as required, with the Department working alongside not-for-profit providers to design, operate and open services. To access potential sites, a forward planning model has been developed within the Department. This model seeks to identify the nature and volume of different types of early learning and childcare places across the country and how that aligns with the number or children in the corresponding age cohorts at local area level. An extensive data analysis and cleaning exercise has been undertaken to map available publicly subsidised supply.”
“In recognition of the importance of supporting these improvements, the Government has increased core funding from €393 million to €483 million, alongside an additional €45 million in ring-fenced funding to help services to meet the increased wage costs that will arise from employment regulation orders. At the same time, through Shaping the Future phase 2, we are examining how pay and conditions can be strengthened further over the medium to long term, reflecting a balanced, sustainable approach that delivers improvements today while building towards lasting reform for the future. In addition, €135 million will be made available between this year and 2030 for the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme, which will provide high-quality, accessible learning and childcare services.”
“While the Government is the primary funder of the sector, it is not the employer and cannot directly set wages or conditions for any staff in the sector. Instead, as Members will be aware, the Joint Labour Committee provides the established mechanism through which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum rates of pay, which are then set out in the employment regulation orders, EROs. Through successive EROs, minimum pay rates have increased three times in four years, delivering an average increase of 15%, as was referenced by Deputy O'Gorman who previously served as the Minister in this Department. Most recently, the October 2025 ERO provided an average pay increase of 10%, benefiting more than 67% of the workforce.”
“Taken together, AIM and Equal Start reflect the Government's focus on ensuring that quality provision goes hand in hand with equity and inclusion meeting the needs of every child. However, quality provision depends not only on the supports available to children, but also on the people delivering them every day. No early learning and childcare system can deliver high-quality outcomes without a strong skilled supported workforce. That is why this Government has been clear that improving pay and conditions across the sector remains a key priority. We recognise that the level of pay for early years educators and school-aged childcare practitioners does not yet fully reflect the value and the importance of the work they do for children, families, communities and the wider economy.”
“It will support them to access and participate in the ECCE programme while improvements to the AIM level 7 application process will reduce the administrative burden, and it will make it easier for services to be accessed. Alongside AIM, the Equal Start initiative helps to ensure that children and families experiencing disadvantage can also access and participate meaningfully in early learning and childcare. The programme now supports more than 800 priority settings nationwide, delivering practical supports to help children thrive and to address the effects of disadvantage from the earliest years. This includes staffing supports, nutrition programmes, such as Bia Blasta, language development initiatives like Early Talk Boost and targeted measures to support the inclusion of Traveller and Roma children.”
“From my perspective as the Minister of State with responsibility for disability, that means ensuring that our early learning and childcare system is genuinely inclusive. For children with disabilities or those with additional needs, access alone is not enough. What matters is meaningful participation, ensuring that every child is fully supported, included and enabled to achieve their full potential alongside their peers. The Access and Inclusion Model, AIM, programme is central to that approach. Through AIM, a range of targeted supports are available to ensure that children with disabilities or additional needs can access and participate in the ECCE scheme within mainstream early learning and childcare settings. This year, AIM will support approximately 8,400 children with disabilities.”
“Approximately 277,000 children will benefit from the national childcare scheme with growing numbers of families also accessing supports through regulated childminding settings. As the Minister said at the outset, this debate must go beyond cost and access. It must be about quality outcomes and ensuring that every child who enters an early learning and childcare setting is supported to learn, to develop and to thrive. High-quality early learning and childcare can be transformative for children, supporting their development, reducing inequality and giving them the best possible start to life. Our task to ensure that every child has the opportunity to benefit from it. To realise those benefits fully, we must ensure that every child has the opportunity to experience them.”
“This evidence is clear. Costs are falling. Investment is rising. Capacity is increasing. A structured multiyear plan is in place through Shaping the Future. Through the Together for Better funding model, including core funding the national childcare scheme and the ECCE programme, the Government is already delivering tangible financial benefits to hundreds of thousands of families. This year's budget builds on the progress that has been made with State investment in early learning and childcare increasing to €1.52 billion. That represents an increase of more than 116% since 2020. This level of investment is unprecedented, but more importantly, it is about delivering real outcomes. More than 105,000 children will benefit from the ECCE programme this year with participation rates continuing to exceed 96%.”
“This Government is confident that the commitment that we have made in the programme for Government will be fully realised over the lifetime of this Government. That includes ensuring that parents will pay no more than €200 per month for early learning and childcare. Early learning educators and school-age childcare practitioners will be remunerated at a level that reflects the importance of their work. State-led services will operate alongside private and community services, as well as newly regulated cohorts of childminders. Ireland will close the gap between its level of investment in early learning and childcare and the EU average. In its motion, the Opposition suggests that there is no progress or plan to deliver quality, affordable or accessible early learning and childcare. We as the Government do not accept this.”
“I welcome the opportunity to conclude this important debate on the Minister's behalf and reflect on the range of perspectives that have been shared across the House. As the Minister set out in her opening remarks, there are three central elements that guide the programme for Government's commitment to early learning and childcare. First, while significant progress has been made, we recognise that challenges remain and are committed to addressing them. Second, meaningful and measurable improvements have already been delivered. Third, that progress has not happened by itself. It is the result of deliberate, structured and evidence-based programmes of reforms being implemented by the Government.”
“We are moving in the right direction. I thank everyone who continues to play a part in making Ireland a more inclusive and compassionate place for everyone, all of the NGOs operating in the space and everybody who is celebrating Pride this month.”
“It is important to say that those lived experiences have been central to shaping our most recent strategies, including the national LGBTIQ+ inclusion strategy. At the end of the day, it is only by listening to people, trying to understand their experiences and putting people at the centre of our policy decisions can we develop policies that are truly meaningful and will make a genuine difference. This is about listening, learning and making sure that people's experiences are reflected in the decisions that we take. While today is an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come, it is also a reminder of the responsibility that we all share to keep moving forward. Equality is not something that we achieve once. It requires commitment, listening and action. There is much to be proud of this Pride but there is much more to do.”
“The Department of Children, Disability and Equality leads on a number of whole-of-government equality strategies, including the national LGBTIQ+ inclusion strategy. As the core, they are about addressing the barriers that people face and making sure that everyone has the opportunity to participate fully and equally in society, regardless of their sex, race, ethnicity, social origin, religion, belief, political opinion, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics. These strategies also give us a way to respond to the challenges that people face, many of which are shared across different communities. They are all designed to work together. That is where an intersectional approach becomes so important. It helps us to better understand and respond to inequality in a way that reflects people's lived experience.”
“Work on the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) (Amendment) Bill, as colleagues will be aware, is now at an advanced stage, with drafting being led by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel alongside relevant Departments. I am informed it is expected to be introduced to the Dáil this term. Finalising the legislation, along with establishing the assisted human reproduction regulatory authority, will be key to enabling the introduction of surrogacy leave and ensuring that families are recognised and supported and treated equally. I commend Irish Families Through Surrogacy and all those who have advocated in this space. All this work across policy and legislation, and across seas in terms of our international engagement, shows the direction we are moving in and reflects a clear and ongoing commitment to advancing equality at home and abroad.”
“That recognition matters all the more in the context we are in today. While we have made real progress, we are seeing that progress being challenged not just at home but influenced by wider international trends, including the more polarised debates that we are seeing, especially overseas. Those conversations, in particular online, can quickly take hold and contribute to an increase in negative rhetoric, misinformation and, in some cases, harassment directed at the LGBTIQ+ community. That is why steps like this are so important, not just in terms of addressing the past but also in reaffirming the kind of society we want to be and the values of equality, dignity and respect we all stand for. Work does not stop there.”
“At an international level, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, alongside Ireland's diplomatic missions, continues to advocate strongly for the rights of LGBTIQ+ people, including supporting the decriminalisation of homosexuality where it still exists and opposing any attempts to introduce such laws. It is in that context, recognising the progress we have made and the work that remains, that the legislation is important. It will provide a formal process through which individuals can and will apply to have convictions disregarded and effectively nullified. It also represents a sincere recognition of the violation of individuals' human rights and dignity and acknowledgement of the lasting harm caused by the criminalisation of LGBTIQ+ people and communities more broadly around the world.”
“This is particularly significant when we reflect on how recent these laws are in our history. Homosexuality was only decriminalised in Ireland in 1993 following a long and hard-fought campaign led by former Senator, David Norris, and many others. For many people those convictions did not simply disappear. They were punished for relationships that were entirely consensual, something that should never have been criminal in the first place, and they have carried that burden for years, often quietly, through their everyday lives. While we have moved forward as a society, it is important to recognise that this is not the case everywhere.”
“Of course, turning that commitment into something meaningful in practice takes time and careful work. That work is already well under way, with officials developing the approach and working closely with the Office of the Attorney General. Alongside that work, we have also seen important progress in other areas. Just this month, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, recommended that the Criminal Law, Civil Law and Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 include an amendment regarding historical convictions for consensual same-sex activity. In practical real terms, this amendment will introduce a process where people can apply to have a certain historical conviction for consensual same-sex activity formally disregarded.”
“As we all know, it is these early experiences that shape how we see and treat each other, as individuals but also as a society. More broadly, we are continuing to strengthen the legal protections that protect LGBTIQ+ people from discrimination, harm and hatred. While I know progress in this area can sometimes feel slow, it is important to take the time to get it right and to make sure the laws we introduce are strong and effective and that they make a real difference in people's lives. It is in that context that there are very clear commitments in place, including a commitment in both the programme for Government and the national LGBTIQ+ inclusion strategy, to ban conversion practices. This goes to the core of protecting people's equality and dignity.”
“That is why it is so important that we keep having these conversations and that we keep challenging the stigma and continuing to build a society where people feel fully accepted, supported and included. We are also seeing really positive progress in our schools. Inclusion is becoming part of everyday learning. The updated senior cycle SPHE programme, which now includes LGBTIQ+ identities, is being introduced for students in the leaving certificate applied. This is being supported at primary level through the new well-being curriculum, including SPHE, which covers topics like diversity, gender stereotypes and tackling bullying from an early age. It is because of our core values, inclusion, respect, understanding and acceptance, and that really matters.”
“We are beginning to see some impact from the campaign and recent figures point to a modest downward trend in discriminatory attitudes, with levels decreasing from 54% in late 2024 to 49% at the end of last year. We still have a way to go. More people are also saying they feel comfortable with someone living with HIV in their everyday lives, whether it is a family member, friend, neighbour or colleague. That is clear progress but it is gradual and the level of stigma remains significant. While we are making some progress in the right direction, it is clear that we need to keep moving. Changing attitudes takes time and continued effort. That is essential if we are to achieve more meaningful and lasting change.”
“A national clinical programme for gender healthcare working group has been set up to develop this, bringing together expertise from across the system with a clear focus on delivering more joined-up, accessible care linking primary care, community supports and specialist services in a way that works better for people. We are also continuing to focus on challenging stigma and raising awareness. The You, Me and HIV campaign is back again this year across TV, radio and online channels. It is sharing a really clear message that effective treatment means HIV cannot be passed on. Through real life stories, this campaign is helping to build understanding and create a more supportive and informed society.”
“It has a real impact on people, on their confidence and well-being and on how safe they feel to just be themselves. While Pride is a celebration, it is also a moment to remind ourselves to keep standing up for each other, call out hate when we see it and keep working towards an Ireland where everyone feels respected, supported and free to be who they are. It is through that continued commitment that we are seeing real, tangible progress in our policies, our services, and in how we support people in their day-to-day lives. One area where we are seeing that progress is in transgender healthcare. Work is well under way to improve services for both adults and young people, including the development of an updated clinical model of care for gender healthcare which we expect to be completed later this year.”
“Pride is a really important month and a really important moment in the year, a time to celebrate and a time to reflect, as the Minister, Deputy Foley, said. It is a powerful expression of visibility, dignity and joy for the LGBTQI community but it also reminds us why it is so important that we speak up, stand together and show our solidarity and support. It is really important to recognise how far we have come as a country when it comes to supporting and including LGBTQI+ people. There is a lot to be proud of but Pride is also a reminder that it all started as a protest and that part of it is still really important too. There are still people who experience discrimination and online abuse. We are seeing more and more of that online, unfortunately. It can be incredibly damaging.”
“I want to start by wishing everybody a really happy Pride and a really happy Pride month, especially those who are heading out to celebrate this weekend. Hopefully, the weather stays as fabulous as it has been the past couple of days for the Dublin Pride parade. Every year that I attend the Dublin Pride parade, I am struck by the sense of community, inclusion, fun, colour, energy and positivity. It brings the streets of Dublin to life and I wish everybody participating in it this year the very best. I think we can see that same feeling reflected in celebrations right across the country. Those celebrations are taking place right throughout this month, and that is something we can all be proud of.”
“A series of recommendations were made and we are now working on these to improve the proposed legislation. A document addressing frequently asked questions has also been published. Legislation is only part of our response. We also need to enhance the processes, to improve training and to increase administrative support for our HSE assessment officers, who are responsible for the production of the assessment reports. The Department is working really closely with the HSE and with the working groups that are in place to ensure this happens. As the Deputy has said, we need to address the wider issues. That is exactly what was set out in this year's HSE national services plan.”
“The Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that this is dealt with in a comprehensive way. Part of our response will be a series of improvements to the assessment of need process to make it more efficient and effective for children and families. Over time, this will lead to a reduction in the waiting time to receive an assessment of need. I thank the Deputy for his work on the Committee on Disability Matters. From that work, he will know that the general scheme of the disability (amendment) Bill has been published on the Department's website. The Deputy's committee has published a report following pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill. The Department is now considering the recommendations. I thank everybody who was involved in those committee hearings and in pulling together that report.”
“The Deputy is right; the demand is increasing year on year. It has increased quite exponentially in the last five years. As a result, it has been difficult for us to keep up with demand. Our CDNTs around the country do absolutely incredible work not just with regard to assessments of need, but also, importantly, in the delivery of therapies. It is those interventions that parents and children want. In response to an earlier question of the Deputy's, we spoke about the new autism intervention and pathways protocol. That is another Government investment to ensure we provide access to more timely assessments and more targeted interventions for children and young people across Ireland.”
“It is not acceptable that children and families have to wait so long for assessment of need applications to be processed. This Government, the Minister, Deputy Foley, and I have made it very clear that change is needed. There has been progress in the past two years with a noticeable increase in the number of completed applications. Over 5,900 assessment of need reports were completed in 2025, which is a 43% increase on the previous year and an 85% increase on the year previous to that. This progress has been and will continue to be assisted by the assessment of need targeted waitlist initiative, which funds the procurement of clinical assessments from private providers to inform the assessment of need process.”
“Over 13,000 applications for assessments of need were received last year, with over 3,800 applications made in the first three months of this year. This demand is absolutely outpacing the capacity of the system to respond. As a result, 21,782 applications were overdue for completion at the end of March. I gave the Deputy that figure earlier. To break that figure down by regional health area: the figure in HSE Dublin and North East is 6,608; in HSE Dublin and Midlands, it is 7,772; in HSE Dublin and South East, it is 3,204; in HSE South West, it is 2,004; in HSE Mid West, it is 595; and in HSE West and North West, it is 1,599. These numbers are really stark. It is really important to remember that behind every number is a child or young person.”
“The Deputy is absolutely correct. The delivery of an effective and efficient assessment of need system is a priority for the Government. The Department and the HSE are working intensively to address delays in the provision of assessments of need to children and their families. It is important to reiterate that children do not require an assessment of need report to access health services, such as primary care, children’s disability network teams or mental health services, or education supports. Demand for assessments of need has increased significantly in recent years. This reflects both the increase in population and the increase in the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child.”
“What we are trying to do here is provide a quicker and clearer access pathway through our existing services, whether it is primary care, CDNTs or CAMHS teams, for people who are presenting as potentially autistic. We have three tiers as part of that protocol.”
“Absolutely. This process is all about families, children and ensuring that we have appropriate and faster access to the most appropriate clinical decisions. This is also in response to the fact that 40% of assessments, of children who are going through assessments of need, are being diagnosed as autistic. As a result of that, through five years of collaboration, hard work and clinical expertise, this protocol has been designed as part of the response to that. That is not just in Ireland. The OECD finds that there has been, overall, almost a 10% increase in autistic presentations. This is to support that but to clarify, it is totally different, distinct and independent from the assessments of need process and there is no change to anybody's statutory right to an assessment of need.”
“To be really clear, our approach, that of the Minister, Deputy Foley and I, and of our Department and the HSE, is to include people with lived experience. "Nothing about us without us" is something we are very proud to stand over.”
“Absolutely. I am completely happy to say that to the Deputy. As she said in her opening remarks, the success of this depends on people's lived experience. That is exactly what we have used to help shape it. We also had expert input from a clinical advisory group as well as that assessment and pathways working group within the service improvement programme board for the autistic community. That was to ensure there was also a clinical perspective on this. The assessment and pathways working group produced a comprehensive report. It was over 250 pages long and it outlined the new assessment approach. There were two versions of that protocol that were shared through workshops and webinars. Two consultation sessions took place in March with civil society, advocacy groups and people with lived experience. Feedback was provided to participants.”
“When the service improvement programme board for the autistic community was established, a national expression of interest ensured representation from individuals with lived experience, including young people, adults and family members. The board included senior operational and clinical decision-makers, academic support and representatives with lived experience as equal contributors. As the programme progressed, two working groups were created. The assessment and pathways working group, which reports to the service improvement programme board for the autistic community, included three representatives with lived experience and clinicians from psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, public health nursing and social work. It also included senior managers, family members and leaders, and they helped shape it.”
“The pathway is specific to autism assessment and includes differential diagnosis where necessary, along with developing a formulation to better understand the person’s lived experience and the support they require. The autism protocol was developed over five years. It was developed with input from people with lived experience, civil society, clinicians across multiple disciplines and service leaders from the disability, primary care and mental health sectors. The service improvement programme board for the autistic community is a national HSE governance body that provides oversight, leadership and accountability for autism assessment and intervention services, including the autism protocol.”
“As the Deputy will be aware, on 26 May, the HSE launched the new autism assessment and intervention pathway protocol, or the autism protocol. Once implemented, it will apply to all HSE and HSE-funded providers, as well as private providers. I am delighted that extensive collaboration by Government underpinned the development of the autism protocol. My Department and I remain committed to ongoing engagement with autistic individuals, families and representative organisations to continue to improve access to services. The protocol introduces a three-tiered approach to autism assessment, reflecting the evidence and lived experience that some presentations are easier to identify than others. It matches the level of assessment to the complexity of each case, as determined by clinicians.”
“Now that we have a single point of access for the HSE, that will have a huge impact and it will mean that there will be no wrong door. If a child goes to primary care and should be on a CDNT list or vice versa , they will not be put back to the start of the list again. That is a whole-of-HSE approach. The strategy we are working on at the moment is our HSE resourcing strategy. This will be about making sure we are putting the right resources in the right places. It has been very positive for the Deputy’s area in that 3.5 new roles have been created this year alone. That builds on the two new roles allocated last year. This year we have funding to deliver 150 new posts across the country in our CDNT teams and we are in discussions at the moment in terms of the Estimates for next year and we hope to be able to build on that.”