Prioritising Therapy over Reporting; Assessment of Needs Reforms Funded and Focused on Care - Senator Margaret Murphy O’Mahony

Fianna Fáil Senator and Spokesperson on Disability in the Seanad, Margaret Murphy O’Mahony welcomes the targeted reforms to the Assessment of Need (AON) process for children and families.

 

Welcoming the announcement by the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley TD, Senator Murphy O’Mahony said the changes represent a significant and necessary step forward for families who have experienced long delays and unnecessary complexity in the current system.

 

The introduction of 11 new expert in-reach teams, comprising 44 specialist staff, will give assessment officers direct access to psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and dedicated administrative support, helping to speed up reports and improve consistency nationwide.

 

Murphy O’Mahony commented “The prioritisation of the AON process on identifying a child’s needs, rather than producing lengthy diagnostic-style reports which have tied up therapists’ time is very welcome. It is not acceptable that highly skilled therapists have been spending up to a third of their time writing reports instead of delivering therapy. This reform will free them up to spend more time with children who need support.

 

The Fianna Fáil spokesperson emphasised that families’ rights remain fully protected under the changes with the statutory six-month timeline remains in place. These reforms strengthen the system without weakening families’ rights.

 

The Senator also welcomes the wider operational improvements being introduced, including the HSE Single Point of Access system from 2026, the removal of the requirement for professional reports for entry to special classes and schools, and the launch of the Autism Assessment and Intervention Protocol in February 2026 which will see Autism assessments separated from the standard AON process.

 

“Families have been living with unacceptable waiting times and uncertainty. These reforms are about putting children’s needs first, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and ensuring families get timely answers and real support. The current backlog is a real challenge, but we are now seeing progress, and these reforms will accelerate that progress,” Murphy O’Mahony added.

 

Concluding, Murphy O’Mahoney said, “These changes show that the Government has listened to families and to frontline staff. As Fianna Fáil’s spokesperson on Disability, I will continue to work to ensure these reforms deliver real, tangible improvements for children and families nationwide.”