More than 1,500 children across county Meath are currently waiting for an Assessment of Need, according to figures released to Meath Sinn Féin TD Johnny Guirke by the HSE. The figures, in reply show 845 children are stuck at Stage 1 of the process, with a further 682 waiting at Stage 2, leaving 1,527 families in Meath unable to access the assessments needed to unlock vital supports such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and psychological services.
Deputy Guirke said the figures lay bare the scale of the crisis facing families in Meath: “These are not just numbers — they represent over 1,500 children in Meath who are being denied the early intervention they are legally entitled to. We know how critical those early years are. Every delay means a child falling further behind, and a family left to cope without support.”
Sinn Féin representative Caoimhe Carlin, pictured with Deputy Guirke, who is also a local primary school teacher, said she sees the impact of the delays every day in local classrooms: “In schools across Meath, there are children & families who are trying their best but are struggling because they are waiting on an Assessment of Need. Without it, schools cannot access the supports these children need. That affects their learning, their confidence, and their future.”
She added: “Parents are exhausted from fighting the system, teachers are stretched, and children are not receiving the adequate support at a crucial time in their development. This is completely unfair on any child. Sinn Féin has called on the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently tackle the backlog in Meath and ensure children receive their assessments and follow-on supports within the legal timeframes.
Deputy Guirke concludes by saying “Families in Meath deserve a health and disability service that works. These waiting lists must be cut, and they must be cut now.”
