Wicklow assessment of need output jumps 39pc as HSE struggles with rising demand
The Wicklow PeopleChildren’s Minister Norma Foley has said the number of assessment of need reports completed in the Wicklow area has risen sharply over the past year, but warned that demand continues to far exceed capacity, leaving more than 23,000 applications overdue nationwide.
Responding to a series of parliamentary questions from Wicklow TD John Brady, the minister confirmed that the HSE has recorded a 39pc increase in completed assessments across the two Local Health Office areas covering the county - Kildare/West Wicklow and Wicklow - when comparing the first six months of 2025 with the same period this year.
The figures show 268 assessments were completed by teams locally in the first half of 2025, rising to 374 in the first half of 2026.
Children, Disability and Equality Minister Norma Foley. Photo: Collins
The minister said the increase was welcome, but stressed that the overall system remains under severe pressure to cater for demand. Applications for an assessment of need rose from 10,690 in 2024 to 13,186 in 2025, with 7,100 more received in the first six months of this year alone.
She said this surge, driven by population growth and more families seeking assessments to understand their children’s needs, has pushed demand far beyond what the service can currently handle. As of the end of June, more than 23,000 applications were overdue nationally.
Minister Foley said the HSE completed 5,939 assessment of need reports nationally in 2025, a 43pc increase on the previous year, and 3,043 more in the first half of 2026. She said the rise in completed reports in Wicklow reflects this broader trend, but added that further improvements are needed to bring waiting times down.
The minister also addressed Deputy Brady’s request for monthly data for the two community health groups covering Wicklow, CHO6 and CHO7, noting that the HSE no longer reports figures at CHO level following the move to six Regional Health Areas in late 2024.
She said the HSE does not provide monthly or county-level data, and instead supplies quarterly figures for each Local Health Office (LHO).
The quarterly breakdown for Kildare/West Wicklow and Wicklow shows steady increases through 2025 and into 2026, with Wicklow LHO rising from 98 completed assessments in the final quarter of last year to 150 in the second quarter of this year.
On autism related assessments, Minister Foley said it is not possible to determine how many assessment of need applications were made specifically to obtain an autism diagnosis.
However, she said that in the first half of 2026, autism spectrum disorder was recorded as the main disability category in 52 per cent of completed assessment of need reports.
She emphasised that families do not need to apply for an assessment of need to access an autism assessment, and can instead seek referrals through GPs, primary care teams or Children’s Disability Network Teams. She acknowledged that waiting times for autism assessments remain long in the public system.
Minister Foley outlined a series of reforms aimed at improving the assessment of need process, including legislative changes announced last December.
She said the proposed amendments will not remove any rights for parents or alter the statutory six-month deadline set out in the Disability Act. The general scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill has been published, along with a detailed FAQ for families.
She said legislation alone will not resolve delays, and that her department is working with the HSE to improve training, streamline processes and increase administrative support for assessment officers. New working groups have been set up to develop statutory guidelines and address learning needs.
The HSE is also rolling out wider changes intended to improve access to disability services. A single point of access system is due to be introduced this year to simplify referrals and reduce duplication, ensuring children are directed to the correct service rather than ending up on multiple waiting lists.
The autism assessment and intervention pathways protocol, announced in May, will introduce a standardised assessment process across primary care, mental health and disability services and will become the preferred route for autism assessments.
Eleven new HSE teams are being established to support assessment processes, including assessment of need, by providing clinical guidance and administrative assistance.
Minister Foley said these measures should lead to a noticeable reduction in waiting times over time, but acknowledged that families are still facing significant delays. She said improving the assessment of need system remains a priority for government and that further work will continue throughout the year.
She said the HSE’s move to a single point of access and the new autism pathways protocol should help reduce confusion for parents who often find themselves navigating multiple services at once.
She added her department will continue working with the HSE to increase capacity and ensure children receive assessments and supports as early as possible.