Labour commits to ensuring compliance with Assessment of Needs law

Meeting today with autism campaigner Cara Darmody and her father Mark outside Leinster House, Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik TD pledged to ensure that the Labour general election manifesto would include a commitment to compliance with Assessment of needs legislation within a stated timeframe – as sought by Cara.

Deputy Bacik said:

“I want to pay tribute to the tireless campaigning by Cara, who is an amazing advocate for autism rights. If Labour are part of any negotiations on a Programme for government, we pledge to ensure that will include a commitment to compliance with the assessment of needs legislation within a stated timeframe.

“Early intervention is crucial for children. The Disability Act (2005) is very clear – the responsibility to carry out an assessment of children’s needs is with the HSE and is to be completed within six months.

“We are currently seeing continued severe delays in access to such assessments, and this is causing serious distress to children and families. We need to see delays tackled urgently by this Government.”