
Cara sees our daily struggle but fights for all families, says dad of teen holding 50-hr Dail protest over autism delays
THE father of a teenage disability campaigner who is coming out of 'advocacy retirement' to stage a sleep-out protest at Leinster House next week has hailed his daughter's achievements.
4
Cara Darmody is planning a 50-hour protest outside the Dail
Credit: Collins Photos
4
Cara's brother John with his autism assistance dog
4
Cara's other brother Neil also has autism
The second-year student has already met with
Speaking to
Mark told us: 'Her achievements and her records are huge.
READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS
'We have to take into account that she did get €10 million of government funding, credited to her solely, last October from then Taoiseach Simon Harris.
'She has a record of actually getting huge success from the government. So, I suppose she felt that she needed to do something different and quite dramatic to get systematic change.
'While the then Taoiseach gave €10 million, which was extremely welcome at the time, and I think three and a half thousand children have benefited from that to date.
'The problem is, is that there's no system change. So the numbers are now going back up. So it's going in one direction and it's not a good direction.'
Most read in The Irish Sun
The proud dad, 49, added: 'Cara feels that if she doesn't step in now and get them back to the table, then this is going to be like the Titanic in six months time or in one year's time.
'She felt, to use her words, that she had to come out of advocacy retirement.'
Playing with dolls can help your child's social development – even if they have autism, study finds
An Assessment of Need (AON) - as outlined in the Disability Act 2005 - is an assessment carried out by the
These assessments should start within three months and be completed within a further three months, giving a six month overall timeframe.
However, the Dail heard in February of this year that 90 per cent of assessments were being completed outside these legal requirements outlined in the Disability Act.
The Social Democrats' Cian O'Callaghan told the
PROTEST PLANS
As part of new action, Cara will sleep in a tent outside Leinster House from 10am on Tuesday May 20 until 12pm on Thursday May 22, in a 50-hour protest.
Last June Cara vowed to protest outside the Dail every day until the General Election if progress was not made on assessment waiting times.
The protest - which saw Cara sit outside Leinster House with a sign reading 'Taoiseach please pay for all autism assessments and services' - resulted in the brave teenager meeting with then Taoiseach Simon Harris.
She was also flown to the US by actor
FAMILY SUPPORT
The schoolgirl - who has brothers Neil, 12, and John, eight, both with severe autism - will study for her second year school summer exams from her tent during the protest next week and dad Mark will accompany his brave daughter during the protest, while mum Noelle holds the fort at home.
"Cara feels that if she doesn't step in now and get them back to the table, then this is going to be like the Titanic in six months time or in one year's time."
Mark Darmody
Looking ahead to next week's action Mark told us: 'She just wants to hold them to account next week on the breaking of the law.
'And I think that those are the words you're going to hear very substantially from her next week. 'you're breaking the law'.'
He added: 'They just seem unable to treat this like a national crisis to get something done about it. And that's your issue there.'
NO NERVES
And the doting dad revealed his daughter is not nervous ahead of the protest next week and is instead excited to help people.
He explained: 'She gets so excited at the thought of helping other people. She really does, because there's nothing in this for her. We're not looking for anything for our family.'
As a father to two boys with intellectual disabilities Mark admitted their family know the struggle facing thousands across the country.
But he stressed Cara's fight is not for their family but for change on a national level.
'FAMILY SUFFERS'
He said: 'We kind of forget that we're just ordinary parents, our family suffers the same as everyone else.
'So Cara sees our struggles on a daily basis, struggles that a family shouldn't have to go through. She doesn't fight our battles for us, nor is she involved in those.
'Her advocacy, that's not about her brothers. She's had this in her head for some years now to tackle the national advocacy. We are immensely proud of her.'
4
Care was Colin Farrell's keynote speaker at his Foundation for Intellectual Disability's Gala
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Independent
10 hours ago
- Irish Independent
No-fault eviction ban will not apply to half of all tenancies, warns Rory Hearne as opposition vows to fight rental changes tooth and nail
Rory Hearne of the Social Democrats warned they would lead to increased rental costs and incentivise evictions, adding: "Renters will pay for Government policy failures." He said the no-fault eviction ban will not apply to at least half of all tenancies. "Unfortunately, it gives more power into the hands of landlords, and it is very much a pandering to the lobbying power of landlords. "There are huge loopholes here. It appears that tenants of large landlords will have no-fault protections, but tenants of smaller landlords – at least half the market – will not be covered. "In these cases, we will see thousands and thousands of renting families exposed to higher rents and it will, as Focus Ireland said, be incentivising evictions." Labour's housing spokesperson, Conor Sheehan, said renters had been "thrown to the wolves" and also "thrown under the bus', saying there are more holes in the Government's no-fault evictions ban 'than there were in the Titanic'. He said owners of four properties were being called small landlords, "which is the most Fianna Fáil thing I've ever heard in my life'. "In my view, a small landlord is somebody who has one additional property. I think somebody who has more than one additional property is a professional landlord and should be treated as such. "I don't think what's being proposed is going to achieve much. I think it's the worst of both worlds, both for renters and also for investors. "Giving somebody a no- fault eviction ban for a limited six years is ridiculous. It creates a multi-tiered rental system, along with exempting new-build apartments from the rent caps." There is no guarantee that any new supply will emerge from the proposed changes, he continued, adding, "and if new supply emerges, then you can be guaranteed it will be unaffordable'. He said Labour had been consistently calling for rent pressure zones to be extended to the whole country since 2016 when they were first introduced. "We were told that was unconstitutional. And I think it's important to cast our our minds back that far, because that is how long things have been continually getting worse at every single turn." It follows a meeting last night, where Government leaders agreed on a new system of national rent control. Under the plan, Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) are to be extended across the country to cover every tenancy. The current system, which caps yearly rent increases at 2pc or in line with inflation, will be retained for existing tenancies. This 2pc cap would no longer apply to newly built homes, which would instead have a cap linked directly to the rate of inflation. This measure is aimed at increasing the rate of private sector investment in building more rental homes. But significantly, every area of the country will now be designated as an RPZ under the new national rent control system, meaning the remaining one fifth of tenants in Ireland not in an RPZ will benefit from rent controls. Leaders also agreed on stronger security of tenure protections for renters. This, it is understood, will include an end to no fault evictions in the case of large landlords. Landlords are also set to be categorised according to the number of properties they own with smaller landlords to be categorised as those with three or fewer properties. According to proposals going to Cabinet, landlords will only be allowed reset rents if the tenant leaves voluntarily. If a landlord serves a tenant a notice to quit, the landlord will not be allowed reset the rent. The move will aim to remove the economic incentive for landlords to evict tenants. The move to expand the RPZs is seemingly one that goes against the recommendations in the report from Housing Commission. In its report last year, the commission said while the rental market was both challenging for both renter and landlord, the RPZs were constraining landlords. According to the report, it said the impact of RPZs has been mixed and the commission recommended changes to the system. In particular, the report said the RPZ system should be reformed and a new system of 'reference rents' be established instead. This would be landlords would be limited on how much they could increase rent by, and would be based off things like the size of the rental property and where it is located. The commission also said regulations should continue between tenancies. 'If a tenancy ends the same regulations apply to the subsequent tenancy. This will discourage termination of tenancies that is designed to increase rental income,' the report said. As reported in the Sunday Independent, the Government was considering new rules which will allow landlords to significantly hike rents beyond the current caps. Under original the proposals, landlords would be allowed to increase rents to market rates in between tenancies of at least six years. While current tenancies are expected to remain under the RPZ regulations, the cap would not apply to newly built apartments. Currently, rents in a Rent Pressure Zone can only be increased by 2pc or in line with inflation, whichever is lower. First introduced in 2016 to control the rapidly increasing rents in high demand areas like Dublin and Cork, it was a major intervention in the market. Since then, the scheme has steadily spread across the country with most areas now considered an RPZ. Almost ten years after they were first introduced, and with the current regulations are due to expire at the end of this year, it had been anticipated that the current rules around RPZs would change. The Government continues to be under pressure on the issue of housing, with the rental sector a major focus, as the opposition has swooped on the issue. Raise the Roof campaign will hold a rally outside Leinster House on Tuesday next week at 6pm, calling for urgent Government action on Ireland's housing and homelessness crisis. The rally is timed to coincide with a Private Members Motion tabled by Opposition parties in the Dáil, and will feature speakers from political parties, alongside a series of singers and spoken word performances. The Raise the Roof campaign group is coordinated by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and includes trade unions, housing and homeless agencies, women's groups, human rights advocacy groups, and community organisations. Speaking at a press conference to launch the rally, Ethel Buckley, SIPTU Deputy General Secretary said: 'Ten years into the housing crisis, and that crisis remains the greatest political failure of our time. Workers are being priced out of homes or can only rent or purchase with considerable financial burden. 'In the last 10 years rents and house prices have doubled - and in some areas more than doubled - while wages have increased by less than 40%. If anything, this gap has widened in the last couple of years. Rents and house prices are out of control. 'Alongside the human cost of this, we are seeing the serious knock on effects, with thousands of unfilled vacancies in key sectors, and young people once again choosing to emigrate. 'We are deeply concerned at the lack of urgency shown so far by this new government. A government that is content to play the role of helpless bystander to this ever-worsening emergency. What is needed now is a radical reset with sustained action to deliver secure, affordable housing.'


Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Call for advance notice for farm inspections to minimise disruption
At least two weeks' notice of farm inspections should be given by the Department of Agriculture, a Kerry TD told the Dail. Fianna Fáil's Michael Cahill urged the Department of Agriculture to avoid inspections during the lambing season. He also suggested it should consider conducting inspections during shearing from mid-June to mid-July, or ramming from mid-September to early November to minimise disruption for farmers. Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon said inspections were a requirement of European Union Regulations. The approach and reporting system used is standardised across all areas of the country to ensure consistency and fair treatment of all farmers. "In relation to the various schemes my department administers, on-farm inspections are a requirement of the EU regulations and the terms and conditions. The inspection approach and reporting system used is standardised across all areas of the country to ensure consistency and fair treatment of all farmers," Mr Heydon said. Kerry TD Michael Cahill suggested the department should consider conducting inspections during shearing from mid-June to mid-July, or ramming from mid-September to early November to minimise disruption for farmers. "In relation to providing notice for on-farm inspections, as agreed in the Farmers' Charter of Rights with the farm bodies, all inspections will, in the main, be announced." He explained where giving advanced notice of an inspection interferes with the purpose or effectiveness of the control, no notice is given. The level of notice given is generally two days. 'However, in duly justified cases, additional notice may be given, but limited to the minimum necessary. This may particularly be the case for inspections involving hill sheep flocks,' he added. "Regarding inspections involving sheep, my department takes account of the circumstances and follows agreed protocols with the farming bodies in relation to penning at lambing time." "I can assure the deputy that in relation to carrying out inspections in hill sheep areas, my department will endeavour to take account of the timing of inspections relative to when sheep move to and from the hills, provide adequate notice and tolerances to take account of the unique circumstances in the hill areas, while at the same time endeavouring to complete the necessary inspections to ensure that farmers receive their payments on time," Mr Heydon concluded. Read More Stephen Cadogan: Why every dairy farmer needs a cash buffer in 2025


The Irish Sun
12 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Disturbing scenes' as houses destroyed in Ballymena riots hours after two boys charged over attempted rape of teen girl
HOMES were destroyed and missiles were thrown at cops by masked thugs last night in "disturbing scenes" as rioting broke out in Ballymena, Co Antrim. The unrest broke out after an estimated 2,500 people gathered after a teenage girl was allegedly the victim of a serious sexual assault at the weekend. 6 A number of missiles were thrown towards police during the incident Credit: Pacemaker 6 Amidst the carnage, a boat could be seen overturned in the street Credit: Pacemaker 6 Firefighters attended the scene after two properties were set alight Credit: Pacemaker The crowd had initially gathered to support the family of the girl but A line of police vehicles advanced towards the protesters followed by officers on foot. Those involved in the violent incident burned plastic road barriers and bins that were making up a part of the barricade on the street and clips show masked yobs tossing missiles at Firefighters later responded to the burning debris on the road and inspected a nearby house which had filled with smoke. READ MORE IRISH NEWS Justice Minister Naomi Long said there can be 'no justification' for such 'appalling' scenes. She said: "I am absolutely appalled by the disturbing scenes in Ballymena yesterday evening during which PSNI officers were injured, residents terrorised, and properties damaged. 'There is absolutely no place in our society for such disorder and there can be no justification for it." Long said attacking homes and police officers "serves no purpose other than to damage communities and raise tension", adding that those involved in the violence will be "held accountable". MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN The carnage erupted hours after two 14-year-old boys appeared at Coleraine Magistrates' The boys, who legally cannot be named due to their age, spoke to confirm their names and ages. Their solicitor said they would be denying the charges. Tyler Hoey, Deputy mayor of Mid and East 'NARRATIVE HAS BEEN DIVERTED' Speaking on BBC's The Nolan Show, he added that the violence that followed "has to be condemned" and called for peace on the streets. North Antrim MP Mr Allister said he had spoken to the family of the girl who was the victim of the alleged sexual assault and they did not want to see violent scenes. He said: 'Sadly the narrative has been diverted, and it has been diverted by those who wrongly and foolishly involved in violence and made the story something that what it otherwise should be. "My message is the violence should stop. The concerns are there, I am certainly aware of them, I hear them and there needs now to be a period of calm and justice needs to take its course." 'URGING EVERYONE TO REMAIN CALM' Several properties in the Clonavon Terrace area suffered severe damage last night, including broken windows, and a boat could be seen overturned in the street. It is understood that at least two houses were set alight during the incident, with flames from these homes spreading to nearby properties. Police dogs were deployed to the area and PSNI riot officers attended the scene in an attempt to "bring calm". Chief Superintendent Sue Steen appealed for locals to remain calm and refrain from engaging in violence. She said: "We are urging everyone to remain calm and to act responsibly. "Violence and disorder will only place people at greater risk. "Our priority is to keep the community safe, and I would appeal to everyone to work with us to bring calm to the area as quickly as possible." 6 People wearing masks threw masonry and other missiles at police, while houses were set on fire Credit: Pacemaker 6 Police remained in the area overnight to monitor the situation Credit: Pacemaker 6 PSNI riot officers were among those deployed to the scene Credit: Pacemaker