The General Scheme for the Disability (Amendment) Bill
- Published on: 12 February 2026
- Last updated on: 12 February 2026
On 9 December 2025, Government approved the publication of the General Scheme for the Disability (Amendment) Bill. The General Scheme sets out proposed legislative changes to Part Two of the Disability Act (2005), which focuses on the Assessment of Need process.
The objective of the proposed legislative changes is to make the Assessment of Need process more effective and efficient for children and families, and to move towards more assessments being delivered within the statutory 6-month timeframe, set out in the Disability Act.
These proposed legislative changes will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an Assessment of Need for their child, nor will they alter the statutory six-month timeline set out in the Disability Act.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has prepared a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to accompany the publication of the General Scheme. The document provides information about the Assessment of Need process and the proposed changes. The FAQ document will be updated as and when needed.
