1. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the progress of the establishment of the new autism assessment service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47690/26]

Sentiment score: 0.15

I ask the Minister of State to provide an update on the progress of the establishment of a new autism assessment service. We all know about the issue that exists. We are talking about more than 20,000 on the assessment of need waiting lists, many of them over the six months in which that should be provided legally. There are a huge number of parents out there who can get neither an assessment nor the therapies their child requires. We really need to solve this for the parents out there.

Sentiment score: 0.23

I ask the Minister of State to give the exact timelines when she gets an opportunity again-----

Sentiment score: 0.42

-----because, obviously, it is vital that we see this. It is also a matter of knowing how these assessments will be made. Some have said they would be worried about how the assessment officer or whoever makes the clinical determination. It is about ensuring that there would be a sufficient amount of clinical backup. We all accept that if we were starting again, we would have to look at a different system as regards assessment of need and how therapies are provided. I have always had a worry about how we will try to ensure we have enough of a workforce as regards therapists, whether we are talking about the inreach teams, CDNTs or primary care. In addition, I ask the Minister of State to give the up-to-date figure for the assessment-of-need waiting list and how she sees this impacting that.

Sentiment score: 0.22

I understand that your right to an assessment of need remains, but the fact is that these are attempts to reduce the waiting list. We all know that what parents want to see is a better form or means of assessment and provision of therapies. We need to ensure we have a proper framework that works. I will ask again about an aspect of this matter that I have asked about in a further question which I imagine will not get answered tonight. At this point in time, what are the numbers for the assessment of need waiting list and, as I said, specifically the number that is above the six months that are legally required to provide that service for families? We all know the issues that exist out there. The problem is that parents and children are really suffering from the fact that we have not put a proper framework in place to provide the therapies and the constant assessment, which is the best means of doing this, to provide something that works.

Sentiment score: 0.12