An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-09
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Jack Chambers (FF), Dublin West

I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge that many people in all of our constituencies are waiting too long for an assessment of need. We have seen increased resourcing of this over the past number of years but a doubling of demand since 2020, which has put significant pressure on the overall service. For example, approximately 9,570 applications were received in the first nine months of this year alone. We have significantly resourced this in the current year but also in budget 2026, with a 20% increase in disability funding. This will provide for significant recruitment support and increased provision of assessment of need.
Complementing the resource allocation, we also need to reform the assessment of need process to make it much more efficient and effective for many of the children who are waiting for an assessment of need. We also need to increase the provision of therapies for many of the people in communities we represent. That is complemented by the waiting list initiative. The legislative reforms that will be progressed by the Minister, Deputy Foley, and Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, will make a difference in improving the process. Ultimately, we want to vindicate the rights of young people so there is a quicker process around the assessment of need and they get the therapy and intervention from the allied health professionals and providers.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:26+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-09