An AON is carried out to identify if a child or young person has a disability and is designed to identify their health needs as well as service requirements.

Once the HSE receives an application, there is a legal requirement for the AON to be completed within six months.

The waiting list for AONs has soared over 2025, with just 7% being completed on time.

Cara Darmody, 15, from Ardfinnan, Co Tipperary, has long criticised State failures in delivering assessments on time.

She staged a 50-hour protest outside Leinster House in May and is repeating the demonstration on Tuesday.

She was initially motivated to pursue her advocacy because her two brothers, Neil, 12, and John, eight, have autism and severe/profound intellectual disabilities.

Cara said they were “both failed dramatically by

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