Less than 7% of Cork children received assessment of needs on time

Less than 7% of children in Cork received an assessment of need (AON) within the legal timeframe this year, while the number on waiting lists is almost double the number of assessments actually carried out this year, new HSE data has shown.

The Disability Act states that an assessment report must be completed within six months of the date the application was received. An AON is an assessment to determine the presence of a disability and what health and educational services are required as a result.

Of 760 AONs carried out in Cork this year, just 52 have been within the legal timeline. In total, 272 AONs were carried out in the third quarter of 2025, of which 7.3% were within the statutory timeline. Just one AON has been completed on time in Cork West all year.

As of the third quarter of this year, 1,473 people are on waitlists for AONs. Waiting lists include 370 children in Cork North, 693 in North Lee, 345 in South Lee, and 65 in Cork West.

Across the four Cork areas, 166 assessments are less than a month overdue, 237 are one to three months and 1,070, or 73% of the total, are more than three months overdue.

Crisis

Cork Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould told The Echo that the figures were “a damning indictment of this government’s approach to children with disabilities”, saying they show an ever-deepening crisis despite repeated promises to get control of the situation.

He pointed out that 120% more children are overdue an AON since 2021, and that waiting lists across Ireland have risen nearly 10% in just three months.

“The average wait time for an AON has surged to over 27 months. That is an increase of more than 2 months since Q2.

“Children and families are being failed dramatically, left in limbo waiting for supports they are meant to be entitled to. Less than 1 child in every 10 waiting for an AON can expect their rights to be upheld by this government.”

Government TDs say targeted reforms aimed at improving AONs, which were announced last week, should reduce waiting times but primary teaching unions have criticised a lack of consultation around the reforms.

Reforms

Under the planned changes, assessment officers will be supported by 11 new teams, comprising 44 expert staff, including psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and administrators, who will provide clinical guidance and support during the AON process.

A single point of access system will be launched next year, making it easier for families to be referred to the right service, while the Autism Assessment and Intervention Protocol, launching in February 2026, will provide a faster route to autism diagnosis than the AON route.

The Department of Education and Youth is also working to agree a new process to remove the requirement for professional reports, such as AON reports, from entry requirements for special schools and classes.

“These reforms will make a real difference for families in Cork,” Fine Gael’s Colm Burke said. 

“By reducing waiting times and streamlining the process, we can ensure that children get the supports they need sooner.” 

Concerns

Fianna Fáil’s Christopher O’Sullivan said: “These reforms have come about because of the concerns raised by parents over a number of years.

“The work put into these reforms by clinicians and parents must be commended, as well as their dedication to the children and families they serve.”

However, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation criticised a lack of communication.

“Teachers were not consulted, briefed, or even informed in advance of these proposals,” INTO general secretary John Boyle said.

“That is bad faith, pure and simple. Meaningful consultation is the absolute minimum that should be expected when any changes are proposed to a system that has been dogged by controversy and concern for years.

“It is grossly unfair that Government departments are using vulnerable children as political footballs after failing to provide them with timely assessments and therapeutic supports.”