There are over 500 children on a waiting list for an assessment of needs across the Northern Sound region.
That's according to the Minister for State at the Department of Children, Emer Higgins.
Speaking in the Dáil this week, she outlined that the number of applications considerably increased between 2020 and 2025.
The Minister of State outlined that the demand is outpacing the capacity of the system.
In response to a question from local TD Matt Carthy, she revealed that in Cavan and Monaghan, 520 applications in total were not completed within the statutory six months.
31 of these were overdue for less than one month, 36 were overdue between one and three months.
The remainder were overdue for three months or more.
Minister of State Higgins told the Dáil that the figures are "stark" and that it is a priority for the government.
She told Deputy Matt Carthy: "The delivery of an effective, efficient assessment of need system is a priority for the Government, which is why we are bringing in reforms in this area.
"These numbers are stark. Every one of them represents a child or young person. I want to see this situation change so that families do not have to wait so long for their assessment of need applications to be processed. That change is happening.
"The number of applications for assessments of need increased from 4,700 in 2020 to over 13,000 in 2025. Unfortunately, this demand is outpacing the capacity of the system to respond.
"As a result, HSE data shows that the number of applications over the completion date rose to over 20,200 nationally by the end of the year. This is unacceptable, which we acknowledge, and we will address it.
"We have seen a notable increase in the number of completed AONs nationally over the past two years, but there is a lot more work to be done. That is why, in December 2025, the Government announced a series of improvements to the assessment of need process, including new legislation, which will be coming through pre-legislative scrutiny at the Joint Committee on Disability Matters," Minister of State Higgins added.
In response, Deputy Carthy said that the government is breaking the law.
"The Minister of State started her response by saying this is a priority for the Government. I would hate to see it if it were not a priority for the Government. Some 550 children have been waiting over six months for an assessment of need in the two small counties, population-wise, of Cavan and Monaghan," the Sinn Féin TD said.
"That is 550 times that the members of Government have broken the law. They are obliged under the Disability Act 2005 to ensure that children receive an assessment of need within six months. Imagine that.
"We have a Minister of State saying they have broken the law 550 times in just one constituency, but they are going to do something about it at some point in the future, including changing the law so they cover themselves and so they are not actually in breach of the law," he added.
