1692 overdue children's disability assessments in Kildare/West Wicklow

Kildare North Labour councillor, Angela Feeney has slammed the government for presiding over an “illegal and deeply damaging” backlog in assessments of need for children with disabilities, as new figures reveal that over 15,000 children are currently waiting longer than six months for an assessment.

That number is expected to rise to 25,000 by the end of this year, with 1692 overdue assessments now logged in the Kildare/West Wicklow HSE Local Health Office. 

According to Cllr Feeney, the figures lay bare the government’s continuing failure to provide timely support to children with additional needs, despite clear legal obligations under the Disability Act.

Once the HSE receives an application for an Assessment of Need, it is legally required to complete it within six months, and yet the government is allowing thousands of children to be failed, she says.

“These delays are not just statistics. Behind every number is a child being denied the chance to thrive and a family being left in the dark. Early intervention is absolutely critical for children with additional needs. The longer these delays persist, the more damage is done — not just here in Kildare, but across Ireland” says Cllr Feeney, who is part of an Action Group for Special Needs Education in Kildare.

“There is no ambiguity in the legislation. While knocking on doors in the constituency during the General Election campaign, families told me they’ve been waiting months, even years, for basic supports that should have been in place long ago. We’re not talking about missed appointments. We’re talking about lives being put on hold, it is unjustifiable”.

“The truth is that the State is knowingly breaching its own obligations. This is not a resourcing issue alone, it’s a failure of political leadership. The Minister must be held to account. The children of Kildare and across Ireland deserve better.

“Labour is calling on the Minister to come before the Dáil and outline how she will tackle this escalating crisis in children’s disability services and bring the State back into line with its legal responsibilities. The delays must be tackled urgently. Children can’t wait.”

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