Almost 22,000 children are waiting beyond the deadline for disability assessments, according to the latest figures from the HSE.
During the first quarter of this year, 21,782 children were overdue for an Assessment of Need (AoN), an increase from 20,209 recorded at the end of 2025, reports Breaking News.
Among those waiting, 18,933 have been delayed for more than three months, accounting for 87% of the total list. An additional 1,120 cases are overdue due to exceptional circumstances.
The Assessment of Need system, established under the Disability Act 2005, is used to determine whether a child has a disability and identify the supports required, reports Breaking News.
In the first three months of 2026, the HSE received 3,814 completed applications, including 1,112 from the Dublin and Midlands region.
A total of 1,528 assessment reports were finalised in the same period, with just 10% completed within the legally required timeframe, reports Breaking News.
On average, each completed assessment took 23 months.
Of the 10,037 children identified as having a disability this year, 69% require Occupational Therapy, 60% need psychology services, and 49% require Speech and Language Therapy, reports Breaking News.
Some 2,242 children entered Stage 2 of the assessment process, with 31% doing so within the three-month target.
The highest number of overdue assessments was recorded in the Dublin and Midlands region, where 7,772 children are awaiting evaluation, reports Breaking News.
Within this area, 2,287 children in Kildare-West Wicklow are overdue for assessments.
In the Dublin and North East region, 6,608 children are waiting for assessments. This region covers North Dublin, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, and most of Cavan, reports Breaking News.
North Dublin accounts for 1,973 overdue cases, with 1,746 of those waiting longer than three months.
In Meath, 1,324 children are overdue, while Louth has 1,176 children on waiting lists, reports Breaking News.
In the Dublin and South East region, 3,204 children are overdue for assessments, with 2,717 waiting more than three months.
The South West region has 2,004 children overdue, while the West and North West region has 1,599 children awaiting assessment, reports Breaking News.
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