Sinn Féin TD for Waterford, Conor D. McGuinness, has described new figures on Assessment of Need waiting lists as “deeply alarming”, revealing that 23,282 children across the State are waiting beyond the statutory timeframe set down in the Disability Act.

The figures, released in response to parliamentary questions submitted by Deputy McGuinness, also show that the average Assessment of Need now takes 24.3 months to complete nationally. He said the figures demonstrate that the current level of assessment capacity is failing to tackle the backlog, leaving thousands of children waiting far longer than the six-month legal deadline.

Deputy McGuinness said:

“Every one of the 23,282 children waiting beyond the statutory deadline has already been failed by the system. Thousands of families have waited far longer than the law allows, while vital time for assessment and early intervention has been lost. The number of children waiting beyond the legal deadline has increased by a staggering 52% in the 12 months since Sinn Féin brought a motion on this issue before the Dáil last summer. 

“The figures also expose the scale of the problem. More than 7,100 new applications for an Assessment of Need were received during the first six months of this year. Although the number of completed assessments has increased, the system is still not keeping pace with demand.

“The position in Waterford is reflective of the state-wide trends and demonstrates exactly why the backlog continues to grow. At the end of June, 226 children were waiting beyond the legal deadline, while just 100 Assessments of Need had been completed during the first six months of the year. Even if no further applications were received, it would still take more than a year to clear the existing backlog. In reality, more children continue to be referred every week, meaning waiting lists will continue to grow unless assessment capacity is significantly increased.

“The average waiting time across the State is now 24.3 months. While waiting times vary between regions, many children are facing delays approaching two years before receiving an assessment that the law says should be completed within six months.

“Government repeatedly says this is a priority, but the evidence tells a very different story. Instead of putting the resources in place to comply with the law, the Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-Independent coalition wants to change that law. Their solution is to shift the goalposts and weaken the legal protections that exist for children.

“The Disability Act exists for a reason. Timely assessments give children the best opportunity to access the therapies, interventions and supports they need at the earliest possible stage. Delays have real consequences for children and for their families.

“Government needs to stop managing this crisis and start resolving it. That means providing the emergency resources needed to clear the backlog, delivering a properly funded workforce plan to recruit and retain assessment staff, and setting out a clear timetable for restoring compliance with the Disability Act. Families across Ireland have waited long enough.”