The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, has told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration that over 6,000 children are currently overdue an Assessment of Need, despite it being a legal requirement for the HSE to carry out assessments of need within three months of receiving an application.
The Ombudsman for Children recently launched Unmet Needs: A report on the challenges faced by children in Ireland who require an assessment of their needs. The report raises serious concerns about ongoing violations of the rights of children with disabilities and recommends several actions to remedy this, taking a child-centered and rights-based approach.