Lack of Cork assessment of needs services costs the State €500k

Almost €500,000 was spent by the Government on legal cases brought by families in Cork between 2020 and 2025, after their children failed to receive assessment of need (AONs) within the legally required timeframe.

Under the Disability Act 2005, AONs are a legal right in Ireland that allow children born on, or after June 1, 2006, to have an assessment of their health and education needs caused by a disability.

AON teams are employed by the HSE to complete an AON within six months of the initial application.

According to Minister of State at the Department of Children, Emer Higgins, demand for AONs has “outpaced the capacity of the system to respond”.

In response to a parliamentary question, Ms Higgins said while more than 5,900 AONs were completed across Ireland in 2025, the inability to meet rising demand is resulting in a significant financial cost to the State.

Ms Higgins said between 2020 and 2025, the State’s total spend on litigation brought forward by families in Cork through the Circuit Court stands at €498,072.

Change needed 

“It is very clear that change is needed,” said Ms Higgins.

A spokesperson for the HSE’s South West branch said a recruitment campaign is currently underway to fill the 14.5 posts which are currently vacant. 10 of which are for AON officers and 4.5 are for liaison officers.

The HSE said it is anticipated that all of these posts would be filled by the end of this year.

Sinn Féin Cork North Central, TD Thomas Gould, said the Government’s spend on litigation is “disgraceful but unfortunately not shocking”.

“More money is spent on litigation per case than it would cost to assess the child at the centre of this,” said Mr Gould.

“Children deserve to be treated fairly. They deserve access to the supports and services they need.”