Norma Foley
Kerry · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Therefore, the means by which the motion proposes to address the challenges raised may not specifically align with the approach being taken, but I absolutely accept that the underlying goals are the same and I accept the Deputies' sincerity in seeking to achieve them.”
“I intend to bring forward specific proposals arising from this work towards the end of the year, depending on progress and the outcome of ongoing engagement with stakeholders.”
“Working with that office, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality is absolutely committed to seeking to expand and reform specialist disability services in order to maximise individuals’ independence and support them to live lives of their choosing in places of their choosing.”
“A number of new measures are in train to move towards planned provision of residential supports, including the provision of planned residential placements under a new initiative, as outlined in the HSE’s 2026 national service plan.”
“I absolutely accept they are fighting tirelessly to highlight the need for us to ensure their loved ones are cared for and provided with appropriate housing, as and when it is needed. For far too many families, placements are made at the last minute, causing distress to individuals and their families.”
“In line with commitments contained in the programme for Government and the national human rights strategy, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality is now developing a new vision and reform strategy for disability services.”
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“This could mean not being able to access a public service or employment due to your geographical location, or being refused services such as insurance because of living in a poorer, or what is perceived to be a poorer, neighbourhood. That is something we need to tackle. As someone with a background in education, I will always appreciate the importance of people being given equal opportunities. It can be life-changing for them. We have to make sure every child - every person - in every part of this country can show their talent and showcase their ability and do so equally.”
“Go raibh maith agaibh as ucht an t-am agus an deis seo a thabhairt dom. I thank the Sinn Féin Senators who have brought forward the Bill. I sincerely appreciate their motivation and intention here. When listening to the contributions across the House, I can tell there is a very keen understanding from Senators of the impact of socioeconomic discrimination on some of the most vulnerable people within our society. That is also the understanding of the Government It is fully recognised here today that, despite the great progress we have made on many social issues, individuals in Ireland can still often face barriers on the basis of their backgrounds. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul reports that experiences of postcode discrimination is also common among the people it assists. Senator Tully has referenced that as well.”
“I recognise the great integrity of everybody who is here and who wants to work towards solutions. I look forward to working with them. The Deputy referred to the family resource centres, disability and-----”
“I acknowledge that private providers are doing great work. For the first time, the State has invested just short of €1 billion in what is now called core funding to facilitate providers to ensure fees are kept down for families. The building blocks scheme has resulted in an additional 1,500 places. Deputy Wall referred to the fund, early learning and childcare and the providers who are under duress. I absolutely accept that they are but, as I said, we have invested quite heavily there. The Deputy referred to section 39 organisations and to playgrounds. A small amount of funding makes a huge amount of difference. The €500,000 was very well spent. I will finish with Deputy Farrelly. He referred to the new committee. It will be an honour for me to work with it.”
“It is a substantial investment. Points have been raised over the need to do more. I am aware that Deputy Farrelly raised access and the need to have an opportunity to avail of the services. There are three aspects to what we intend. The first is that there should be affordability for parents. We have walked quite a distance of the journey in this regard. Deputy Wall has referred to the €200. The Government commitment is absolute. Affordability for parents must be matched by the availability of a workforce. That is really important. Those in the workforce must be rewarded and compensated for the work they do as expert professionals in the field. We have made progress in this regard. It is a case of recognising where there are gaps in provision. There is a commitment to move towards the public model.”
“There has been an increase in funding for family resource centres. There is, as Members will be aware, a plan to have additional family resource centres. Everybody is keen to have one in his or her own area. There is a limited number this year but I hope we will be in a better position going forward. This is an ambition of mine. I recognise the great work the centres do. On special care, significant funding of €1.2 billion has gone to Tusla this year. Without doubt, there are challenges over personnel but there is great work being done by Tusla by way of recruiting from abroad and bringing in a new category around special care. There is extraordinary work being done by the individuals on the ground and we will continue to do all we can to support them. Early learning and childcare actually represent 23% of the Vote.”
“I am not at all suggesting it is a finished journey. I welcome the fact that a pay deal of around 9.25% was almost overwhelmingly accepted by the workforce. Critical was the fact that there will be a link to all future pay deals. Therefore, we have made some progress on this journey. I welcome the fact that everybody sat around the table with the absolute intention to come to a solution. Indeed, one of the first things I did as Minister was ask for a return to sitting around the table to find a solution. I recognise the work of everybody who made that possible. Family resource centres, which others have raised as well, do extraordinary work. They are absolutely invaluable to us and are hubs for so many. They are open to all, which is probably the most important aspect of them.”
“However, as I have said previously, I want to be 100% clear that if there is an opportunity to make additional private capacity available and if it takes more money to achieve it, money will not be the barrier. We are aware that there is a limit to private capacity but the Government has given an absolute commitment that if more can be done, money in excess of the €10 million will be found and put in place. The workforce plan will be done in 2025. On the accelerated pathway for speech and language therapy, which I acknowledge Deputy Kerrane has raised time and again and on which matter she has given a very good personal example, I will take the matter up with the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. On the section 39 organisations, which I know others have referenced, we have made a lot of progress.”
“I had something prepared but I will do my best to run through some of the points that were raised. Deputy Kerrane should note that on the challenges regarding respite, residential services and others, it is positive that we can say there is a €3.2 billion budget for disabilities. This has been raised by other speakers as well. It has led to considerable improvements in some areas but, without doubt, there are challenges. It is our ambition, as we will be looking towards a new budget, to do more and more in this space. On assessments of need, which have been raised by others also, and specifically the issue of additional funding, I want to be really clear: €10 million has been made available to access private assessments this year.”
“The provision of playgrounds for young children has improved in recent years, with around 960 playgrounds available in 31 councils around the country. I was pleased earlier this month to announce €500,000 in grants for 28 playgrounds and play areas around the country. The significant resources under the Department's Vote for 2025 allow for the continuation of vital services and supports to children, young people, families, people with disabilities, survivors and those facing disadvantage or discrimination. They also provide some important opportunities for targeted development and improvement of services. Deputies may be assured that I will continue to work closely with all sectors and stakeholders as we strive to maximise positive outcomes from the resources being considered today.”
“In relation to the rest of the Vote, there are other important policy areas that will be progressed in 2025. The 2025 Estimate sees increased funding which will allow the Department to progress new national strategies on Travellers and Roma, LGBTQI+ inclusion, and women and girls. These will aim to address key equality issues and improve opportunities for diverse groups at risk of discrimination. While the youth affairs area has transferred to the Department of Education, I would like the House to note that my Department retains important child and youth participation functions. These include a grant scheme to enable city and county councils to create and upgrade playgrounds, making them more accessible, inclusive and enjoyable for everyone.”
“Many of these key measures are now in place and the programme for Government reaffirms the Government's commitment to continued delivery of the plan. To support implementation of the action plan, funding of €125 million is being made available in 2025. This allocation has been provided to fund a range of measures which respond to the harrowing legacy of mother and baby institutions, including the mother and baby institutions payment scheme, the complex and sensitive excavation of the former mother and baby home institution at Tuam in County Galway, the special advocate for survivors and the national centre for research and remembrance. The mother and baby institutions payments opened to applicants on 20 March last year. To date, 6,500 applications had been received and 5,700 decisions have been made.”
“The funding will allow for expenditure on special care and residential care as well as providing for expected increases in the numbers of separated children seeking international protection. Funding is also being provided to maintain and grow family support services and early intervention and preventative programmes across Ireland, including an expansion to the network of family resource centres. I recently opened the application process to increase the number of family resource centres. In responding to the final report of the mother and baby homes commission of investigation, the Government approved an action plan with measures designed to respond to the priority needs and concerns of survivors.”
“The allocation under this area is, I believe, a clear demonstration of the Government's commitment to continuing to grow investment in early learning and childcare given the benefits it confers on children and their families, society and the economy. My Department's Estimate contains provision of approximately €1.2 billion for Tusla, which represents an increase of €63.3 million, or 6%, over the 2024 Supplementary Estimate levels. This funding will allow Tusla to continue to provide support for foster carers, with provision made for the full year costs of the increases in the weekly foster care allowances brought in part way through last year, as well as additional funding for support to foster families during the initial placement of a new foster child.”
“This 2025 allocation provides for the continuation of the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme, the free universal two-year pre-school programme which will benefit more than 100,000 children this year. It provides additional funding for an increasing cohort of children with a disability availing of targeted access and inclusion model supports, numbering more than 7,000 in 2025; as well as additional funding for the extension of these supports beyond time spent in the ECCE programme, both in term and out of term. In 2025, I will also deliver on other key commitments, including continued roll-out of the equal participation model; the delivery of the building blocks capacity grant, which was announced this week, to provide 15,000 early learning and childcare places; and a range of regulatory and quality measures.”
“Early learning and care and school-age childcare funding for 2025 stands at €1.385 billion and accounts for 23% of the Vote’s allocation. This represents an increase of €218 million, or 19%, over the 2024 Supplementary Estimate allocation. The increase in funding will support the full-year cost of the 2024 national childcare scheme rate increase. In 2025, the families of more than 200,000 children will benefit from the changes to the minimum hourly subsidy rate, from €1.40 to €2.14. It also reflects an increase in core funding for the 2025-26 programme year from September 2025 and an increased capital allocation of €26.4 million.”
“This funding will allow us to support service providers to continue to do their crucial work in what is a challenging economic environment while also supporting the progressive roll-out of the action plan for disability services and the roadmap for children’s disability services. The funding will support improvement and expansion of services in areas including residential care services to respond to demand for priority placements; adult day services for new school leavers; respite, which can play a crucial role in delaying or preventing a move into full-time residential care, with 65,000 day respite sessions and 161,000 overnight respite delivered in 2024; and additional personal assistance and home supports providing for approximately 95,000 personal assistance hours and 40,000 home support hours.”
“In terms of the composition of the allocation in 2025, over 97% of the Department’s funding is concentrated in four areas of the Vote. These four areas include specialist community based disability services which accounts for 53% of the total allocation; early learning and childcare which accounts for 23%; Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, which accounts for 20%; and the response to the legacy of mother and baby Institutions, including the mother and baby institutions payment scheme which stands at 2%. I will now briefly address these areas in turn. This year my Department has secured more than €3.2 billion for disability services. This represents an increase of €171.4 million over the 2024 Supplementary Estimate allocation.”
“The Revised Estimate of Expenditure for Vote 40, which is before the House today, provides for the transfer of the corresponding financial allocations. Accordingly, it reflects the fact that €2.046 billion associated with migration functions is transferring to the Department of Justice. A further €90.4 million associated with youth affairs functions is transferring to the Department of Education. The allocation of €6.128 billion set out in the Revised Estimate of Expenditure for Vote 40 relates to all of the functions which remain with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. On a like-for-like comparison, this 2025 allocation is 9%, or €528.5 million, higher than the corresponding 2024 allocation.”
“The allocation also contains funding for the areas of equality and inclusion, encompassing human rights, gender equality, LGBTQI+, Traveller and Roma and disability policy. The Vote group also includes Vote 25, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC. IHREC is an independent public body that accounts to the Oireachtas with a mandate established under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, for which I, as Minister, have responsibility. The 2025 gross allocation for IHREC is €9.81 million. Following the formation of the new Government, the Department has been the subject of two transfer of functions orders in 2025. Migration functions have been transferred to the Department of Justice and youth affairs functions have been transferred to the Department of Education.”
“I welcome the opportunity to present the Revised Estimates for the children, disability and equality Vote group for 2025. The Vote group encompasses Vote 40, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, which has an overall financial allocation for 2025 of €6.028 billion for current expenditure and €100 million for capital expenditure. The 2025 allocation supports a range of key services in respect of children and young people, such as Tusla, the Child and Family Agency; early learning and care and school-age childcare; and youth participation services. The allocation also covers funding for disability services. In addition, it provides for the Government’s response to the legacy of mother and baby institutions where so many people had difficult, challenging, distressing and awful experiences.”
“I move the following Revised Estimates: Vote 25 — Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised Estimate). That a sum not exceeding €9,709,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and for payment of certain grants. Vote 40— Children, Disability and Equality (Revised Estimate). That a sum not exceeding €6,101,872,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, for certain services administered by that Office and for the payment of grants.”
“It has seen the doubling of special classes, an additional 16 new special schools established and we have more than 40,000 professionals working in this area. Much more needs to be done and is being done. The scale of the challenge we face is clear. We are committed to delivering real and tangible solutions to enhance services to better support children with disabilities in Ireland and address the challenge of growing waiting lists for assessments of need. However, this is an issue the Government is taking extremely seriously and according it the highest priority. As Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, it is one of my highest priorities. I am committed to working across the Government and with the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to ensure we have a better outcome for all the children who are in our care.”
“In this regard a dedicated disability workforce strategy is being developed in 2025 to meet growing service demands. I fully recognise there are many challenges here. I want to underline and emphasise again that the Government is absolutely determined to improve the process to ensure that children have the maximum opportunity at the earliest opportunity to receive the therapies they need and deserve. There is cross-departmental co-operation between Ministers. Significant work is being done by the Cabinet subcommittee and additional resources are being put in place where they are required. I want to refer briefly to the significant State investment in the provision of special education which is now at €2.9 billion. That is a 48% increase since 2020.”
“I am conscious of the challenges and strains facing the health and social care sector when it comes to the recruitment and retention of staff, not to mention the impact that this has on the delivery of therapeutic services to children with disabilities and on the delivery of assessments of need. It is a key focus for my Department to fill vacancies within the 93 children’s development network teams. Some progress is being made in this regard. We must ensure that the assessment of need system is adequately staffed to meet demand, with the necessary administrative supports in place to ensure that the assessment and liaison officers can focus on the core aspects of their roles: the production of assessment reports and service statements for children. We also need to look at the bigger picture of how disability services are staffed.”
“Although there is a limit to the capacity of the system to provide private assessments, if there is any additional capacity in the private system to do more, the Government is giving the commitment that money will not be a barrier. However, I am acutely aware that private assessment in isolation is not sufficient to support the capacity of the healthcare system to deliver assessments of need. We cannot rely on the private sector indefinitely so we must ensure that the public system can meet the clearly growing demand. As part of efforts to support the efficient delivery of assessment of need within the public system, regional assessment hubs are being rolled-out by the HSE, aligned with the six new HSE regions. Another and more significant factor is addressing workforce issues.”
“Between June and December of last year, this resulted in more than 2,470 assessments commissioned from private providers at a cost of over €8 million. This Government has allocated €10 million in funding this year to deliver approximately 2,850 assessments of need. The additional funding is already showing results and an increase was reported at the start of this year. I am confident the initiative will continue to support and deliver for children and families who have been waiting longest for assessments, but I am determined that funding will not stand in the way of doing what is necessary and effective to respond to the challenges.”
“This is a considerable achievement, reflecting the effort and investment of the Department and the HSE to address the waiting list. Recent HSE data shows that this upward trend is continuing, with over 1,400 assessments completed in the first three months of this year, a 65% increase compared with the same period last year. While this is welcome progress, it is abundantly clear that much more needs to be done. It is essential that we maintain this momentum and indeed accelerate it. The fact that demand continues to outpace the capacity of the system to meet it was recognised in May of last year, when the Government introduced the targeted waiting list initiative. This provides funding for the procurement of assessments from approved private providers for those families who have been waiting the longest.”
“HSE figures for the first quarter of this year indicate there has been a 20% increase in the number of applications, compared with the same period last year. At the end of March, there were almost 15,300 assessment of need applications overdue for completion nationwide, an 8% increase on the number overdue at the end of December. These figures are worrying and absolutely demonstrate the nature and extent of the challenge we face. Behind these numbers are children and families facing their own challenges every day and relying on the State to support and help them. Although these numbers are growing, initiatives are under way to address the increasing volume. In 2024, more than 4,100 assessments were completed, an increase of 30% over the previous year.”
“However, parents find that having waited to get the assessment, they then may face another long wait to access the services their child needs. This, understandably, causes frustration and stress for families and it is absolutely not acceptable. We need to look at not only the assessment of need process but also the wider system to identify the barriers and delays and remove them. We need to see a process that ensures a child receives an assessment that is appropriate to their needs because every child is different, with their own unique abilities and needs. HSE data shows that there has been a significant growth in the number of applications for assessments of need. Applications increased from 8,400 in 2023 to more than 10,600 in 2020, a 26% increase.”
“Once in place, I hope this will help to alleviate the confusion and stress experienced by so many children and their parents. More generally, I believe that parents would like more clarity about the path to take within the healthcare system when they feel their child may have a disability or additional needs. Work has been under way in this area to ensure that children are referred to the most appropriate service, building on existing HSE policies and joint working protocols. It is an area where we need to see more progress in the coming months. Delays in service provision in other parts of the system mean that parents look at all options, including assessment of need, to get early access to services and supports for their child.”
“People are pursuing assessments of need because they feel they need to, due to issues in the wider system. From speaking to parents, I know this system is not working as it should for their children, many of whom are on long waiting lists for those services. Indeed, some children may be on multiple waiting lists. It is within the broader system that the assessment of need process sits. I understand that a significant source of concern and frustration for parents is a lack of clarity about where they should go, in particular when they are seeking an autism assessment or diagnosis for their child. I am aware that the HSE has been developing an autism assessment and intervention protocol and I look forward to its introduction and incorporation into the existing health and education systems.”
“As I outlined, I have met Cara, both in my previous role as Minister for Education and in my current role. As Cara is advocating here in respect of the assessment of need, we need to make progress here and give it the priority it demands. However, it is also important to note that children do not require an assessment of need to access health services including primary care, children's disability network teams or mental health services. Children with complex needs may require supports from their local children's disability network team. More than 43,000 children are being supported by these teams with or without an assessment of need. Children whose needs are more moderate are supported through the primary care system. These systems, however, face their own challenges.”
“As reflected in the programme for Government, we are committed to delivering real and tangible solutions to enhance services to better support children with disabilities and address the challenge of growing waiting lists for assessments of need. We are also committed to ensuring that children receive an education appropriate to their needs. I note that the component parts of the motion may have merit. However, the underlying issues and the ultimate solution to address them are multifaceted and more complex than presented here. In order to have meaningful effect, any solution proposed must form part of wider strategic reforms. I understand that, like me, Members of the House have, as I said earlier, been moved by Cara Darmody's ongoing campaign to have deficiencies in the assessment of need system addressed.”
“I am not opposing the motion and I welcome the opportunity to debate this important issue. Like previous speakers and as I did earlier, I acknowledge Cara and her dad, Mark. In respect of Cara in particular, I acknowledge her absolute determination and her compassion to advocate not just for her own family but for all children in a similar position. It has been really worthwhile to have the opportunity to meet with her on a number of occasions. I acknowledge the work she does. The Government recognises and shares the concerns expressed through the motion that there are unacceptable delays in access to assessments of need. We accept there is a need to increase the availability of and access to appropriate services for children with disabilities.”
“As Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, it is one of my highest priorities because I find the current situation both unacceptable and, indeed, untenable. There are a range of activities currently under way or being developed that will help to address this complex and multifaceted problem. It will not be a quick fix, however. While we cannot click our fingers and make it go away, we will work every single day to do better. We need a system that works and can be sustained over time. In order to do this, my Government colleagues and I will work intensively, persistently and collaboratively to put in place an effective and efficient assessment of need system to deliver the service that children and their families deserve.”
“We need to be better at explaining to parents what is available, whether an application for an assessment of need is actually required and who is the best person a parent can talk to for advice about the service their child needs. We need to look at how best to make this information available and ensure it is up to date and accurate as well as helpful and useful. This is the very least we can do. It is what families need and deserve. As I said earlier, I will not understate or sugarcoat the scale or nature of the challenge we face in addressing the growing backlog of assessments of need. However, this is an issue the Government is taking extremely seriously and according to it the highest priority.”
“The Department is working closely with HSE colleagues and clinicians to ensure that any changes introduced will have a positive and noticeable impact for children and families who are applying for an assessment of need. Ensuring that necessary changes are introduced and implemented correctly and promptly requires the delivery of a range of actions. The Department will manage this process, monitor delivery and report regularly on progress to me, the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, and the Cabinet committee on disability. Returning to the critical issue of information and communication, what I hear from parents most frequently is their sense of frustration and confusion. They do not know where they should go for support or who to ask. This is an area ripe for immediate improvement.”
“A co-ordinated approach is required to deliver this range of activities, with Ministers and their Departments working closely and collaboratively to deliver the results that children and their families need. I assure the House that this issue has the highest priority for the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the other Members of the Cabinet committee on disability, who are closely following all activity in this area. At departmental level, a cross-departmental steering group has been established. I expect this group to identify and address any blockages or barriers across the system that may be affecting the delivery of assessments of need.”
“Officials in the Department of Education and Youth have begun engagement with my Department and other relevant Departments and agencies on the design, timelines, alignment, integrated working and costings involved to deliver this ambitious programme of work. The national therapy service will provide occupational therapy and speech and language therapy supports directly to children in schools. This will be in addition to, and aligned with, existing services. While the national therapy service will not have a direct role in the assessment of need process, it is expected that a more effective and direct system of therapeutic support delivery can only help alleviate the pressures felt in the assessment of need system.”
“There will now be no requirement for an assessment of need report when a person is applying for the domiciliary care allowance for their child. This is a positive development. Any work addressing the assessment of need challenges must also note the continued work of the education system to develop an inclusive education system for all children to reach their fullest potential. The commencement of a national therapy service in education is a commitment under the programme for Government. It is intended that the national therapy service will commence work on a phased basis initially in special schools and subsequently extend to special classes and mainstream classes at a later stage in the 2025-26 school year. This service will be delivered by the National Council for Special Education, NCSE.”
“The Department is also looking at whether there is misinformation or misunderstanding about what an assessment of need is for, particularly where there may be a belief that the assessment will bolster or enhance applications for other Government services and supports. This will require some Departments to review their schemes and programmes to ensure they are not inadvertently encouraging people to seek an assessment of need where one is not warranted. It should not be the case that a person feels they need an assessment of need to access a service or support to which they may already be entitled. For example, people may think they need an assessment of need to get their domiciliary care allowance. I have spoken to the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Dara Calleary, in this regard.”
“I have tasked officials within the Department to delve deeper in identifying issues within the assessment of need system that are causing delays and larger system-wide factors such that parents feel their only option is to seek an assessment of need for their child. Intensive analysis is under way at present by officials in my Department, working with HSE senior management and experienced clinicians, with the intention of bringing forward such changes as might be required as quickly as possible. I emphasise that this process is to support effectiveness and efficiency within the assessment of need process. It will not affect the statutory right of any individual to access an assessment of need.”
“This will include identification of barriers to increasing the disability workforce both within the HSE and funded agencies as well as factors that influence staff to remain in practice in the area of disabilities. The HSE continues to drive intensive domestic and international recruitment efforts and to undertake a portfolio of workforce initiatives to support sustained growth of CDNTs and the wider disability service. I am not naive about the scale of the challenge or the impact on children and parents should we fail to meet that challenge. I also know there is so much more to be done.”
“This requires both assessment officers, who are responsible for the production of assessment reports, and liaison officers, who produce service statements on foot of assessment reports. We must ensure that the assessment of need system is adequately staffed to meet demand, with the necessary administrative supports in place to ensure that the assessment and liaison officers can focus on the core aspects of their roles - the production of assessment reports and service statements for children. We also need to look at the bigger picture of how disability services are staffed. In this regard, a dedicated disability workforce strategy is being developed to meet growing service demands and address recruitment and retention challenges across specialist disability services.”
“I am conscious of the challenges and strains facing the health and social care sector when it comes to the recruitment and retention of staff, not to mention the impact this has on the delivery of therapeutic services to children with disabilities and on the delivery of assessments of need. It is a key focus for the Department to fill vacancies within the 93 CDNTs. Clear progress has been made in this regard in recent times with the workforce increasing by 17% from 2023 to 2024. This represents significant growth of an additional 272 whole-time equivalent staff working across CDNTs. We will build on this progress with funding of €2.84 million provided by the Department this year for 75 additional posts. The Department and the HSE are also looking at staffing levels for the assessment of need process.”
“We cannot rely on the private sector indefinitely; we must ensure that the public system can meet the clearly growing demand. As part of the efforts to support the efficient delivery of assessment of need within the public system, regional assessment hubs are being rolled out by the HSE, aligned with the six new HSE health regions. This will help in some way to streamline the assessment of need process while preserving the time of clinical staff to provide therapy interventions for children and their families. Another, more significant factor is addressing workforce issues.”
“The Government has allocated €10 million this year to deliver approximately 2,850 assessments of need as well as to provide for additional capacity within the public system. I am confident this initiative will continue to support and deliver for children and families who have been waiting longest for assessments. I am also determined that funding will not stand in the way of doing what is necessary and effective to respond to these challenges. Although there is a limit to the capacity of the system to provide private assessments, if there is the capacity to do more, the Government is giving the commitment that we will not let financial resources be a barrier. However, I am acutely aware that this measure in isolation is not sufficient to support the capacity of the healthcare system to deliver assessment of need.”
“Recent HSE data shows that this upward trend is continuing with more than 1,400 assessments completed in the first three months of this year, a 65% increase compared to this time last year. While this is welcome progress, it is clear that much more needs to be done. It is essential that we maintain this momentum and accelerate it even further. The fact that demand continues to outpace the capacity of the system was recognised in May last year when the Government introduced the targeted waiting list initiative. This provides funding for the procurement of assessments from approved private providers for families who have been waiting the longest. Between June and December last year, it resulted in more than 2,470 assessments being commissioned from private providers at a cost of €8.23 million.”
“HSE figures for the first quarter of this year indicate that there has been a 20% increase in the number of applications compared to the same period last year. At the end of March, almost 15,300 assessment of need applications were overdue for completion nationwide, an 8% increase on the number overdue at the end of December 2024. These figures are worrying and demonstrate the nature and extent of the challenge we face. Behind these numbers are children and families facing their own challenges every day, relying on the State to help and support them. Although these numbers are growing, initiatives are already under way to address this increasing volume. In 2024, more than 4,100 assessments were completed, an increase of 30% over the previous year.”