There are more than 11,000 children waiting longer than six months for their Assessment of Need in Ireland at the moment
The figure has been described as an “international embarrassment” by campaigner Cara Darmody.
Under Irish law, families are entitled to have their child’s assessment of need carried out within six months.
However, at the end of June this year, 11,131 children were waiting for their appointments for longer than that.
An Assessment of Need is carried out when a child or young person in Ireland has a disability and is in need of care or services from the HSE.
Speaking today, Andrew Lowth, a reporter with Newstalk said things have been getting progressively worse.
Speaking about the figures, which he obtained by FOI (Freedom of Information), he said:
“Compared to the end of 2023, there were nearly 8,900 children overdue. So the waiting list has expanded even further – around 2,200 more children are waiting for this crucial examination compared to the end of last year.”
Cara Darmody, a 14-year-old campaigner who has two autistic brothers said: “I’ve just decided that it is so wrong what’s going on in this country and I’ve decided I want to be the person that changes this.
“I want to be the person to fight for people who cannot fight for themselves.
“I want the government to issue a State apology for the permanent damage they have caused children with disabilities and for not providing them with proper assessment services or school places.
“The second thing I want from today is, I want them to provide those things right now – not tomorrow, not in six months’ time, not in six years’ time, I want them to do it right now.
“The third thing I want is for the Taoiseach to make a very good start by signing the optional protocol to the United Nations Convention on Disability Rights.
“He’s at the UN right now, maybe he could consider doing that?”
Speaking of the legislative changes needed to address the problem, Taoiseach Simon Harris said:
“When I meet parents they’re saying, ‘My child does need an assessment’ but actually they don’t need the assessment to take that amount of time – they need a shorter assessment and then access to the therapies’.
“I think we need legislative change there.”
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