2516. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeframe within which she expects the current backlog in disability assessments and supports for children to be resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44195/25]
Topics / Disabilities Assessments
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsDisabilities Assessments
581 questions from 109 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
581
questions
571 written, 10 oral
109
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
8
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 13 |
| February 2025 | 49 |
| March 2025 | 33 |
| April 2025 | 28 |
| May 2025 | 24 |
| June 2025 | 8 |
| July 2025 | 53 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 23 |
| October 2025 | 24 |
| November 2025 | 34 |
| December 2025 | 33 |
| January 2026 | 23 |
| February 2026 | 30 |
| March 2026 | 61 |
| April 2026 | 76 |
| May 2026 | 16 |
| June 2026 | 13 |
| July 2026 | 22 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 12 |
| October 2026 | 6 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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33
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28
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24
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19
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15
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15
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13
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11
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
2517. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department is working with the HSE to develop a long-term plan to ensure timely access to assessments, therapies and supports for children with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44196/25]
2534. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the waiting times for assessments of need for Q1 and Q2 in 2025 with a breakdown, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44364/25]
3032. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if she aware of instances where people diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome subsequent to a previous diagnosis for ADHD were reported by health authorities as Asperger’s syndrome having replaced their ADHD diagnosis rather than as having a dual diagnosis; the number of such instances that have been reported; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42…
493. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the urgent actions her Department will take to address the backlog of over 14,000 overdue assessments of need for children requiring disability services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40431/25]
206. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of assessments of need completed by each children’s disability network team, in each area, in each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [39940/25]
207. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average waiting times for assessments of need completed by each children’s disability network team, in each area, in each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [39941/25]
209. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children on waiting lists for an assessment of need, by area, in each of the years 2020 to 2025; the number overdue for completion; the number completed with a service statement., in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39964/25]
215. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people under 18 who are on an autism assessment waiting list, broken down by county; the length of time they have been on this waiting list in each of the years 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [40038/25]
219. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children as of 1 June 2025 or latest date available, that were awaiting a first assessment from the HSE under the Disability Act 2005, for each local health office area, in tabular form. [40050/25]
222. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the support that is in place for parents who, due to lengthy waiting times, paid for a private assessment of needs for their child only to find out much later that there are questions around the bona fides of the private psychologist qualifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40153/25]
287. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of people on the speech and language therapy assessment waiting list, and within that, the numbers waiting less than four months; the number waiting 4-12 months; the number waiting more than 12 months; and for each category, the numbers waiting aged 0-17 years and those aged 18 and above, for each local health area, as of 1 July 2025 or latest date availabl…
288. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of people on the occupational therapy first-time assessment waiting list, and within that, the numbers waiting less than 4 months; the number waiting 4-12 months; the number waiting more than 12 months; and for each category, the numbers waiting aged 0-4 years, 5-17 years, 18-64 years and aged 65 plus, for each local health area, as of 1 June 2025 or latest…
311. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to review a referral for an autism assessment (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38606/25]
134. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in light of the ongoing delays in the provision of assessments of need and therapeutic supports, and the well-documented crisis in the disability sector, if he will consider establishing a dedicated purchase or reimbursement fund to support families who have been forced to pay privately for assessments and interventions due to prol…
142. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of assessments of need conducted in each local health area or community healthcare network in 2023 and 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; the number conducted in the first six months of each year; and the number and percentage of assessments in each year provided publicly, privately, and the number insourced. [3812…
143. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people overdue for assessment of need at the end of June in each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and the number for each local health area or community healthcare network or children’s disability network team. [38130/25]
146. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total spend on insourcing and outsourcing of assessments of need in 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [38133/25]
148. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number and percentage of assessments of need completed within timelines as provided for in regulations in each quarter for each year 2022-2025 for each service provider, in tabular form. [38203/25]
720. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will respond to matters raised in a correspondence (details supplied) from the family of a child in Dublin 17 awaiting an assessment of need; if she will advise as to when this assessment of need may be carried out and the other supports being made available to the child and their family; and if she will make a statement on the ma…
726. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average waiting time in each health region for the completion of the preliminary team assessment under the standard opening procedure for AON, specifically for children suspected of having autism or an intellectual disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37174/25]
628. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm whether people under 18 who are currently on the waiting list for an autism assessment will not be removed from that waiting list upon turning 18; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35214/25]
635. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children on waiting lists for an assessment of need, by area, in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; the number overdue for completion; and the number completed with a service statement. [35346/25]
636. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider implementing a streamlined approach for assessment of needs reports to ensure that each report completed is done to the same standard and with consistent use of language and terms. [35349/25]
646. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if an NTPF type scheme exists for those waiting for an assessment of needs; the way they can apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35475/25]