(Ireland) 14,000 children waiting for ASD dx; average 32 month wait

April 21, 2025, Limerick Post: Children with disabilities waiting 32 months for assessment of needs

https://www.limerickpost.ie/2025/04/21/children-with-disabilities-waiting-32-months-for-assessment-of-needs/  

CHILDREN with autism are waiting an average of two and a half years in Limerick to have their educational and other needs assessed, with the risk of damage to their quality of life.

An average 32-month wait was the shocking figure given to Limerick TD Maurice Quinlivan in answer to his parliamentary question on assessment of needs (AON) in the Mid West.

And nine in 10 children are not getting the assessment they need in the timeframe required by law.

The Limerick Sinn Féin TD stated that “the Programme for Government is committed to establishing supports for children with autism. A welcome commitment, but one that will mean very little to those families who are awaiting an initial autism assessment for their child.”

“Children in need of an assessment should not have to wait over two and a half years for an assessment.”

Deputy Quinlivan hit out that “the government is failing catastrophically on the waiting list across the state”.

“It now stands at 14,000 children waiting for an assessment of need. This is a 60 per cent increase since last year. These huge waiting lists mean that almost 90 per cent of children are being denied the assessment of need that they are legally entitled to in the time frame.”

He pointed out that a child who is referred for an assessment at four years of age will be nearly seven by the time they get one.

A HSE spokesperson told the Limerick Post that “a national waiting list initiative to reduce the waiting time for AON is currently being funded with additional capacity being procured through a framework of approved private providers”. . .

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