Paul Murphy: 14,000 children wait as assessments breach law

Paul Murphy said over 14,000 children are now waiting for assessment of needs and accused the Government of breaking its own law by failing to meet the six-month legal time frame for 90% of assessments. He urged the Dáil to schedule a joint motion next week to compel the State to provide the funding and resources needed so every child gets an assessment on time.

Backlog and legal breaches

Murphy outlined that over 14,000 children are waiting for assessments of needs and stated that 90% of assessments are not carried out within the six-month legal time frame, describing this as the Government breaking its own law.

Case highlighted

Murphy cited the case of a 14-year-old, Cara Darmody, who felt compelled to sleep outside for 50 hours to fight for the rights of her brothers, using the incident to illustrate the human impact of assessment delays.

Demand for parliamentary action

Murphy called for time on the Dáil schedule next week for a joint motion demanding that the Government and the State stop breaching legal obligations and provide the funding and resources necessary to ensure timely assessments for every child.

Procedural engagement with Opposition

Murphy said he was willing to engage with the Opposition to discuss the motion in advance of the business meeting on Thursday morning and to arrange speaking times for the following week, indicating readiness to work on the proposed parliamentary process.