9. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to address the waiting time for assessments of needs, considering there are in excess of 18,000 children waiting for such an assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73106/25]
TDs / Maurice Quinlivan
Maurice Quinlivan
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317
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
56,958
words spoken in the chamber
Across 164 contributions. Plus 3 contributions from the chair, not counted
425
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
90
topics asked about
Across 16 departments
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
What they ask about
The subject headings the Oireachtas filed their questions under.
Who they ask
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Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Questions asked 317 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 164 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 12 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 31 | 9 |
| March 2025 | 18 | 10 |
| April 2025 | 8 | 7 |
| May 2025 | 32 | 12 |
| June 2025 | 15 | 8 |
| July 2025 | 15 | 14 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 17 | 7 |
| October 2025 | 19 | 10 |
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| December 2025 | 6 | 8 |
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| May 2026 | 4 | 10 |
| June 2026 | 11 | 7 |
| July 2026 | 13 | 2 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 9 | 3 |
| October 2026 | 15 | 11 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 88 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
Worked out by computer from the subject headings of each TD's questions, giving more weight to headings few TDs use. It shows shared subjects, not shared views.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Limerick City 29 November 2024 to now
- party Sinn Féin 29 November 2024 to now
More than 18,000 children are currently waiting for an assessment of need and this figure is expected to increase to between 22,000 and 25,000 by the end of the year. These are children whose lives are suspended. They are waiting for assessments so they can receive the medical and educational supports necessary for their continued development. As the Minister of State will be aware, early intervention is crucial and …
My concern about the changes announced last week are that they risk deepening the chaos already prevalent in special education and that we are placing an additional administration burden on educators. In Limerick, for instance, 259 children are waiting for an assessment of need and none of them was met within the statutory timeline so the Government is failing those children with zero of 259 children having been met.…
Last week's announcement was an attempt to shift responsibility to schools and mask the failure overseen by this and previous Governments.
However, I do note that each team will include a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist and an administrator. Where will they come from? Is it not a better approach to have a proper recruitment campaign and try to access the resources that exist …
Like my colleague, I am fully supporting this amendment to the Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill. The amendment will make it more likely that the proceeds of crime are repurposed in the communities that are most impacted by crime. When I spoke on this Bill in July, I noted that any efforts that would deny criminals their gain from criminality are to be welcomed and that remains my firm position. It must be m…
Yesterday, campaigners from the Irish Wheelchair Association, Access for All, the Disability Federation of Ireland and others were outside Leinster House, as I am sure the Taoiseach is well aware. They were here because the recent budget has left people with disabilities up to €1,400 worse off. Many are afraid to heat their own homes, and they were very clear: people with disabilities are having to choose between hea…
Earlier today, I, along with others, had the pleasure of meeting with Cara Darmody. Despite her young age, Cara is an advocate and a champion of those with disabilities, not just her own family. She has one major demand and that is for the Government to comply with the legal obligation to ensure that all children receive an assessment of need within six months. She has been here before and, because of the failure, to…
This week, the Irish Examiner, noted that the number of people switching energy providers is at a record high. In one month, 48,216 people switched providers. Would anyone blame them when they are being gouged, as the Taoiseach himself has said? Consumers are searching desperately for cheaper energy costs as the Government will not act, despite the State experiencing a cost-of-living crisis that continues to hit hard…
I wish to reference something the Minister of State said, which the Minister previously said, that is a bit of a red flag for me in regard to the protection orders for victims outlined in the Bill. It was that "we cannot guarantee support for the Bill on Committee Stage in the absence of clear and convincing arguments on its added value". If the Minister needs additional proof to be convinced, the people in the Galle…
I am just telling the Minister what the visitors told me. In fairness, I do listen to women when they contact me.
I attended a conference in Limerick on Saturday on domestic and gender-based violence. The event was hosted by my colleague, Kathleen Funchion, MEP. It brought together experts - solicitors, gardaí, rape crisis representatives and, most importantly, many survivors of abuse. It was compelling to hear thei…
Today, the Government launched its housing plan. To be honest, the failure to date and the failure to mention any additional funding in the plan for voids leaves me with huge concern. I have raised this specific issue on a number of occasions in the Dáil. My council in Limerick is probably one of the better ones in dealing with voids, but it still cannot deal with the voids if it does not have funding to do it. A tot…
Wandering and malnourished horses remains an issue in urban areas across the country. I have raised this many times over a number of years in this Chamber. It is an ongoing issue for Limerick. The late former Limerick TD, Mick Lipper, raised the issue in this House as far back as December 1977. Unfortunately, it remains a challenge that many Limerick communities continue to face.
There remains a prevalence of horses…
The reason the number of horses that were collected is down is that they are simply not being collected. The problem is just being ignored and let go. I appreciate the Minister of State's response but on the ground, the reality is this continues to be an issue, predominantly in working class estates. I have absolutely no doubt that if these horses were tied to a lamppost and destroying green areas in more affluent ar…
In the summer of 1988, having graduated from third level, like thousands of others, I boarded a plane at Shannon Airport with a tourist visa and headed to New York city. I worked there for 18 months and later returned to Ireland. Unfortunately, due to Government policies at the time, unemployment was rampant. As I was unable to access employment in Ireland, I secured a job in London, where I spent nine years. I was f…
People across the State have faced successive years of profound financial hardship. In recent years, families have faced significant increases in the cost of the weekly shop, excessive increases in the costs of necessary utilities such as electricity and gas, increases in rent, and – every August – the high cost of returning children to school, with school uniforms being one of the biggest costs. The cost of a unifor…
The Minister for Health is present. On Monday, she opened a 96-bed unit in Limerick, which is very welcome, as it has been long awaited. Unfortunately, it will only be able to play a small part in dealing with the crisis we have in University Hospital Limerick, UHL. The ESRI estimates that we need 600 beds in the region. The UHL group itself tells me that 400 beds are required in the region just to stand still, not t…
To date, 19,248 people have waited on trolleys.
When will the Minister make the decision?
I do not have to tell the Minister that people across the State are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. The cost of the weekly shop, the cost of utilities, the cost of rent and the cost of fuel are all rising, with little to no support offered in the most recent budget to alleviate some of these pressures on people. People with a disability have these increases to contend with along with the additional financi…
The Government's election promises have been shown to be empty, a mere ruse to attract votes. It was a charade that was abandoned as soon as the votes were counted. The Government acknowledged poverty in the run-up to the election but soon afterwards abandoned those facing it.
All three.
As the Minister of State knows, a 2022 report noted that 42.5% of Irish adults met the criteria for at least one mental health condition, while 19% of people have sought professional help to deal with mental health challenges. These are huge numbers and demonstrate how difficult life can be for so many people. One of the most difficult things to do is recognising that something needs to be addressed and then taking t…
The fingerprints of Fine Gael are all over this budget. From here, it looks like Fianna Fáil has given Fine Gael free rein. Yesterday I looked back over the Fianna Fáil election manifesto, entitled, "Moving Forward. Together.". It contains promise after promise to the electorate. There are promises about addressing the cost-of-living crisis, a promise to reduce energy prices, a promise of progressive tax changes to p…
Before I start, I extend my solidarity to the people of Palestine at this terrible time for them. What we have witnessed in the Palestinian territories over the past 24 months has been genocide - the wanton destruction of the territories, the murder of men, women and children in the most horrific air and ground attacks, and the blockading of a people. The denial of humanitarian aid to those who need it, including sta…
As we talk about the sporting landscape, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the tragic passing of a well-known Limerick sports fan, Luke Grimes, who passed away in recent days at the tender age of 24. Luke was an infectious personality and a regular attendee at junior soccer matches across Limerick. It was fitting on Sunday that clubs across the county observed a minute's silence in his memory. I extend my …