Assessment of need waiting lists 'out of control in Cork' says TD 

The number of children in Cork that are overdue an assessment of need to identify if they have a disability has increased by 53% in 12 months, with more than 1,000 waiting longer than the statutory timeline set out in the Disability Act.

The act says that the assessment report must be completed within six months of the date the application is received.

A HSE spokesperson, in response to a parliamentary question from Social Democrats leader and Cork South West TD Holly Cairns, said: “While the HSE endeavours to meet its legislative obligations under the act, it has struggled to achieve compliance with these timeframes,” adding that in 2024, just 10.4% of assessments across Ireland were completed within the timeframes set out.

The HSE said that the national figures, which show a 60% increase from the end of 2023, “is largely due” to issues such as a 26% rise in the number of applications for assessments received.

The latest data shows that in Cork, there were 1,106 children overdue an assessment as of the end of 2024, an increase of 53% from the end of 2023, when 723 assessments were overdue.

Almost half of those overdue an assessment as of the end of 2024 were in Cork North Lee, where 526 assessments were overdue, while in South Lee 226 were overdue, in North Cork 306 were overdue and in West Cork, 48 were overdue.

Some 140 assessments were overdue less than a month, 248 one to three months, and 718 were overdue by over three months.

Actions to address waiting lists 

The HSE said several actions to address waiting lists had been taken, including developing a revised assessment of need standard operating procedure and a spend of approximately €10.5m in 2023 to address waiting lists; as well as an additional €5m in one-off funding in 2024 which is being utilised to procure diagnostic autism spectrum disorder assessments from the private sector.

“However, despite this increased activity... the number of people overdue an assessment of need is growing as demand outstrips system capacity,” it said.

Social Democrats TD for Cork East Liam Quaide told The Echo: “It’s very clear from these latest statistics that assessment of need waiting lists are out of control in Cork.

“The failure to provide timely assessments to young people has the potential to affect the child’s later development and eligibility for services.

“Access to primary care or disability services following an assessment of need is yet another purgatory of indefinite waiting for these families.

“The Government cannot solve this crisis without committing to extensive recruitment of clinicians.”

His party colleague, Cork South Central TD Pádraig Rice, added: “As children languish on unacceptably long waiting lists, they are being denied access to early intervention treatments as well as any educational or financial supports they may be entitled to.

“The minister for health and HSE must urgently get to grips with this crisis.”