(Ireland) New attempt to fix 27 month wait for special needs assessments

May 26, 2026, Irish Examiner: New autism protocol aims to tackle waiting lists for assessments of need

A new autism assessment launched on Tuesday will not be rolled out until July at the earliest, with advocates warning that funding and staffing are needed to ensure it makes a difference.

It is part of a Government response to spiralling waiting lists for assessments of need.

Average wait times can now reach 27 months even though there is a statutory legal timeframe of six months.

The protocol was described as a new way to do assessments for children, running in parallel with the existing system and, for the first time, extending to adults.

National autism charity AsIAm chief executive Adam Harris was on the programme board and said: “I think there needs to be a recognition that today is just a first step. . . .

Three government ministers and the head of the HSE also attended the launch.

HSE chief executive Anne O’Connor said: “Implementing the protocol in the HSE Health Regions will begin in [the third quarter of the year, July to September], supported by in-reach teams."

These teams include professions already in high demand such as psychologists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists.

Ms O'Connor acknowledged pressures on the workforce. “In this case we’re ensuring that all graduates are offered jobs. We’ve done that again this year,” she said.. . .