Disabilities Assessments

395. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will direct the NCSE to issue additional letters of eligibility where assessments were completed shortly after the 1 October deadline and where it is clear that delays resulted from systemic or service-capacity issues rather than any failure on the part of families. [65646/25]

396. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is satisfied that the decision of the NCSE to introduce a significantly earlier closing date of 1 October for the submission of parental notifications and supporting reports has been implemented in a fair and reasonable manner; and the measures her Department is taking to ensure that families who were unable to secure ass…

397. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for the NCSE policy of refusing to issue letters of eligibility where parents submitted notifications on time but were unable to obtain the required professional reports until later in October; and if flexibility will be introduced in light of capacity constraints within assessment services. [65648/25]

398. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if transitional arrangements were put in place for the first year of the revised NCSE application timeline; the considerations taken to ensure families were not disadvantaged by the abrupt change; and whether she will instruct the NCSE to reconsider applications where reports were delayed through no fault of the family. [65649/2…

399. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth her assessment of the impact that refusing additional letters of eligibility will have on the ability of children with complex needs to access appropriate school placements for September 2026 where some families were only weeks outside the October 1 deadline, particularly in cases where school enrolment windows extend into early…

400. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is satisfied with the level of communication provided to families regarding the new NCSE notification deadlines, required documentation, and approved assessors’ list; and if she will commit to publishing clear, accessible guidance for future application cycles. [65651/25]

401. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will undertake a review of the NCSE eligibility process, including timelines and communication practices, to ensure it operates in a fair, transparent, and child-centred manner. [65652/25]

775. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the additional funding that has been allocated towards the assessment of needs for children since the 3 April 2025 in order that no child has to wait over three years for an assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65951/25]

556. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current number of children awaiting ASD assessments across the midlands, including a breakdown, by county and the average waiting time for assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65585/25]

566. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the current number of children awaiting ASD assessments across the midlands, including a breakdown, by county and the average waiting time for assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64652/25]

567. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the total cost incurred by the HSE in outsourcing ASD assessments for children to private providers in the past five years; the number of children referred externally for assessment during that period; the average cost per outsourced assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64653/25]

317. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide the latest assessment of needs waiting list figures, by region and nationally. [64025/25]

884. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide the HSE’s published annual targets and actual performance rates for the completion of assessments of need for children, for each of the past five years; and the percentage achievement rate in each year, in tabular form. [62786/25]

938. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children on the waiting list for an assessment of need; the number of these children waiting over 12 months; the number waiting over 24 months and the number waiting over 36 months. [63664/25]

449. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the plans her Department has to roll out primary care services in Clare to assess children for autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62434/25]

79. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reasons her Department accredits for the lengthy waiting lists for assessment of needs; the progress being made in developing legislation in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61490/25]

94. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average waiting time for assessment of needs in the Dublin Midwest constituency; the steps which are being taken to reduce waiting times in the Dublin Midwest area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61910/25]

106. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current average waiting time for assessments of need for children in County Offaly; the measures being taken by her Department to address delays in these assessments and ensure timely access to early intervention services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61544/25]

117. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average waiting time in Laois for an assessment of need (AON); and the longest time any child is waiting for an AON in County Laois. [60015/25]

123. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being implemented to reduce assessment and intervention waiting times for children with additional needs in Galway east; and whether she will provide a clear schedule for improvements in access to therapy services and family supports under the Progressing Disability Services Programme. [61616/25]

143. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the means by which the proposed reforms to the assessment of need process will contribute to reducing the current backlog of over 18,000 children awaiting assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61542/25]

152. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in County Louth that have had assessments of need outsourced by the HSE to private providers to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61455/25]

876. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children awaiting an assessment from a Children's Disability Network Teams in County Laois; the average waiting time for these assessments in County Laois; and the steps her Department will take to reduce these wait-times, particularly in rural counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. […

888. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently waiting for an assessment of needs in the HSE CHO9 area; and the breakdown of the number of children waiting on same in Dublin northwest (details supplied). [61679/25]

897. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a child (details supplied) is still awaiting an autism assessment alongside accessing occupational therapy and psychological services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62030/25]