Almost 300 children with disabilities in the Shannonside region are overdue needs assessments. They need to have them done to get the help they need. An 'assessment of need' allows a child to be diagnosed with a disability, such as autism, so they can access the care they need. Under the Disability Act, the HSE is supposed to complete the assessments within six months. But, in the first three months of this year, the national average time for completing an assessment was nearly 24 months.
Children and Disability Minister Norma Foley says 125 kids in Roscommon were overdue assessments in the first quarter of the year - with 105 more than three months late. There were 91 overdue in Leitrim and Sligo - with over half more than three months late. And, in Longford-Westmeath, a total of 66 were overdue.
Minister Foley says her department and the HSE have been working intensively to address the delays. She says 43 per cent more assessments were finished last year than in 2024.
