Hike in waiting lists for children's assessments of need

Michael Moynihan, chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters, says the figures are 'unacceptable'. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

Waiting lists for children to access 'assessments of need' are spiralling upwards, with the newly appointed chair of an Oireachtas committee claiming "the whole disability sector is in crisis".

The figures show thousands of children are waiting for a year or more for initial assessments and follow-on therapies, with the HSE saying the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation.