Ireland’s Disability System is in Crisis
The current model is failing. The State must take direct control of disability services and remove responsibility from the HSE, whose structures are no longer fit for purpose. Families cannot wait any longer.
This State is providing 72 residential places for over 2000 adults who urgently require a place with the HSE failing to produce a care plan for each individual stating that “ you need to have a residential place before we do a care plan “ however people on the waiting lists can’t get a residential place without a carer plan plan from the HSE .This madness needs to stop.
Across Ireland, thousands are still being left behind:
- Over 13,000 children waiting to be seen by Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs)
- More than 18,000 children awaiting an Assessment of Need (AON) — a legal right under the Disability Act
- Over 10,700 children waiting more than a year for access to psychology services
- 5,000+ children waiting over 12 months for therapy supports
A System Failing at Every Level
These delays are not acceptable — they are unlawful. Children are missing critical developmental windows while families struggle without support. Deadlines are routinely breached, and accountability is absent.
The Crisis Does Not End in Childhood
The failure extends into adulthood:
Over 2000 adults with an intellectual disability are currently waiting for a residential placement, leaving individuals without appropriate care and families under unbearable pressure.
Where the System is Breaking
Chronic staff shortages, fragmented governance, and years of underinvestment have created a system that cannot deliver. Schools are left to cope without support. Parents are forced into advocacy battles just to access basic services.
This is a Rights Issue
Every child has a legal right to timely assessment and intervention. Every adult has the right to appropriate care and accommodation. These rights are being denied every day.
We Demand Urgent Structural Reform
- Remove disability services from the HSE and establish a dedicated national authority
- Clear all waiting lists within defined timeframes
- Recruit and retain specialist staff at scale
- Deliver timely Assessments of Need in line with legal obligations
- Address the immediate shortage of adult residential placements
The system is broken. The solution requires leadership, accountability, and change.
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No child. No adult. Left behind.