The Taoiseach says recruitment within the HSE is the key issue in relation to the backlog of children waiting for needs assessments.
It comes as some parents in Cork could be waiting up to 2 and a half years for an autism assessment for their child.
6.89 million euro has been allocated to provide needs assessments over the next 6 months.
Speaking in the Dáil, Taoiseach Simon Harris says recruiting more staff is needed to clear the backlog:
"We've already allocated significant additional funding of €6.89m. This will provide a further 2 and a half thousand private assessments to be delivered in the next six months. It will be a key issue here is trying to recruit. We have ran a recruitment campaign. 145 job offers have now been made for successful candidates to work in this area 53 of those people are now in the final stages of recruitment. We will run another recruitment campaign, very shortly"
