(Ireland) Autistic 6yo on waitlist for ADHD dx; 15,000 kids on waitlists for more than 6 months

May 16, 2025, Irish Sun: DELAY AGONY The State investing so much money fighting us is a disgrace, rages dad of autistic girl, 6, facing assessment wait hell

DELAY AGONY 

The State investing so much money fighting us is a disgrace, rages dad of autistic girl, 6, facing assessment wait hell

It’s reported that the Government has spent €8 million defending legal actions by frustrated parents

AN AUTISTIC girl has been pushed to the back of the waiting queue as the six-year-old awaits another assessment of need for ADHD.

Grace Fogarty has already had an assessment of need carried out for autism, but is now on another lengthy waiting list.

It comes as Opposition in the Dail joined forces to bring forward a motion demanding that the Government provides children with assessments of need within six months, which is already part of the legislation.

There are currently 15,296 children on waiting lists longer than this six-month period.

It’s also been reported that the Government has spent €8 million defending legal actions by frustrated parents.

Grace’s exhausted dad John described it as a “national disgrace” and “up there with housing as the biggest crisis in the country”.

He told Claire Byrne on RTE Radio One: “It’s a national disgrace that we have to fight for our children when the State is investing so much money in fighting us.

“We had a High Court case recently with Grace regarding her Service Statement, which follows the assessment of need.

“It’s been kicked down the road a couple of times now. We were successful with our case and just waiting to hear from the Complaints Officer regarding what order they’re going to put on the HSE to basically give Grace her entitled, as per the Disability Act, clinical therapeutical interventions, which she has not received yet.

“To complicate matters even more we’ve had to apply for an assessment for ADHD. We had our suspicions that Grace was showing symptoms for ADHD. We are in that 15,000 because we applied last autumn.

“It’s not something that’s added on. This is considered something that’s fresh and has to be looked at like that. Grace is on yet another waiting list for that.”

According to the HSE: "The assessment of need is to identify whether a person has a disability, the nature and extent of that disability and any health and educational needs that arise from it.

“An assessment of need is not needed to access health services.

"The number of people in need of assessment of need is growing as demand outstrips system capacity.”

WAITING lists in Ireland have long been a national disgrace.

More than 106,000 children are on hospital waiting lists for all treatments. However, a new source of shame has emerged as 327 children wait for life changing spinal surgeries.

Their conditions are getting worse while they languish on waiting lists.

Such are the delays, many child patients will be outside the therapeutic window when their treatments are approved.

Earlier this month, the Seanad heard how at least one child has become permanently paralysed since the issue was raised publicly before Christmas.

Their plight has been spearheaded by campaigning Senator Tom Clonan, who himself has a child with a disability.

Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has even admitted that the health service is failing these kids.

Children are being allowed to deteriorate due to mismanagement, which has allowed the waiting lists to grow.

The Irish Sun’s Kids Can’t Wait campaign aims to shine a light on how the State is failing sick children and give their families a voice.

It will also force the Government to do something to clear the backlog of operations and give these children a chance of living a normal life.