George Lawlor: Slams assessment waiting lists for children
George Lawlor urged immediate action on lengthy waiting lists for children awaiting an assessment of need, calling them a national disgrace and a moral failing. He addressed the minister directly, demanding accountability from the government and health authorities over bureaucratic delays and systematic failures.
He described the assessment waiting list as a national disgrace, saying vulnerable children are left to languish in limbo while their futures hang in the balance. He paid tribute to Cara Darmody and warned that these are not just numbers but real children with unique needs and potential.
Lawlor outlined the profound emotional and practical toll on families, who often wait years for assessments and then face further long waits for the therapies they were assessed to need. He cited a manager who warned that by the time some children finally access services their needs may have changed, leading to more complex problems.
He attributed lengthy waiting times to multifaceted causes including insufficient funding, a shortage of qualified professionals and bureaucratic red tape. He also linked the backlog to wider societal issues such as stigma around mental health and disability.
Lawlor demanded a comprehensive plan with increased funding, recruitment of additional professionals and streamlined processes to eliminate unnecessary delays. He argued the time for excuses is over and emphasised the importance of early intervention to improve children’s quality of life and educational outcomes.
Key criticism
He described the assessment waiting list as a national disgrace, saying vulnerable children are left to languish in limbo while their futures hang in the balance. He paid tribute to Cara Darmody and warned that these are not just numbers but real children with unique needs and potential.
Impact on families
Lawlor outlined the profound emotional and practical toll on families, who often wait years for assessments and then face further long waits for the therapies they were assessed to need. He cited a manager who warned that by the time some children finally access services their needs may have changed, leading to more complex problems.
Causes identified
He attributed lengthy waiting times to multifaceted causes including insufficient funding, a shortage of qualified professionals and bureaucratic red tape. He also linked the backlog to wider societal issues such as stigma around mental health and disability.
Calls for reform
Lawlor demanded a comprehensive plan with increased funding, recruitment of additional professionals and streamlined processes to eliminate unnecessary delays. He argued the time for excuses is over and emphasised the importance of early intervention to improve children’s quality of life and educational outcomes.
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Transcript
Minister, the appalling waiting list that we have heard listed out here today for children in Ireland awaiting an assessment of need is nothing short of a national disgrace. It is an indictment of the values as a society that we allow vulnerable children to languish in limbo, with their futures hanging in the balance while bureaucratic inefficiencies and systematic failures continue to plague our health and education systems. This situation is not just a logistical nightmare, it is a moral failing that demands our immediate attention and action. Every day countless families like Cara Darmody's, and I pay tribute to her here tonight, find themselves caught in this agonising waiting game, often for years as we all know, as they seek the assessments necessary to secure the vital services and supports for their children. These are not just numbers on a list, these are real children, each with unique needs and potential who deserve better than to be treated as an afterthought. The impact of these waiting lists is profound, not only on the children but also on their families who are left to navigate a maze of uncertainty and frustration. The emotional toll is staggering as parents are forced to watch their children struggle without access to the help they so desperately need. Of course the assessment of need waiting times are just the beginning of what can only be described as a list to get on a list. Once the assessment is carried out for those lucky enough to be in the 7% who actually manage to get the assessment in a relatively timely manner, they then face the prospect of yet another extensive and prolonged wait to access the actual therapies they have been assessed of being in need of. Minister, one manager working in the services told me that by the time the children access the need they were initially assessed for, that need may well have completely changed, which in turn leads to further and more complex problems for the children and their families. The reasons behind the lengthy waiting times are multifaceted, I appreciate, ranging from insufficient funding to a shortage of qualified professionals. Yet these explanations do little to alleviate the suffering experienced by families. We must demand accountability from this government and health authorities. How can we justify a system that prioritises red tape of the wellbeing of our youngest and most vulnerable children? The lack of urgency in addressing this crisis is absolutely infuriating. We are failing an entire generation of children who have been denied timely access to assessments that could and will significantly improve their quality of life and educational outcomes. These waiting lists reflect broader societal issues such as the stigma surrounding mental health and also of course disability. By allowing these children to wait in silence we are sending a message that their needs are not a priority, that their struggles are not worthy of our immediate attention. This attitude must change. We need to foster a culture that recognises the importance of early intervention and support, that values every child's right to a fair shot at success. For too long parents, advocacy groups and families have had to plead in unison and demand change. It is absolutely incumbent on us as public representatives to hold our government accountable and insist that they prioritise the resources and infrastructure needed to address this crisis. The time for excuses is over. The time for action is now. We need a comprehensive plan that includes increased funding, recruitment of additional professionals and streamlined processes that eliminate unnecessary delays. The waiting list for children in Ireland awaiting an assessment of need is a glaring example of systematic failure that must be addressed. Our children deserve better. They deserve timely assessments and the support they need to thrive. Let us not be complacent in the face of injustice. The future of our society depends on how we treat our most vulnerable members and we cannot afford to fail them any longer. The future of our society depends on how we treat our most vulnerable members.