Disabilities Assessments
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-18
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Emer Higgins (FG), Dublin Mid-West

That statistic that 45% of children who go through the assessment of need process receive a diagnosis of autism is absolutely correct. For that reason the HSE is standing up a new autism assessment and protocol process in order to be able to respond to emerging need in this area. We hope that from January, but definitely from the first quarter of next year, children who are displaying autistic traits will be referred into the new HSE autism protocol and assessment process. That will absolutely help. It will provide them with specific interventions that will be most appropriate to them. That is a really welcome development. I thank the HSE for its hard work and its engagement with my Department on this.
Part of what was announced last week was a six-pronged approach. We have the heads of the Bill. Decisions are being communicated earlier to parents. There is a single point of access. There is the autism protocol and assessment. We also have recruitment in our own CDNTs. We are recruiting at the moment and will be recruiting another 150 staff next year. Throughout the disability service we will recruit 1,000 people next year and we are also outsourcing assessments of need. Education is the other element of that. The Minister for education will come back to the Cabinet committee on disability in the first quarter of next year with formulated proposals on that issue.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:29+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-18