21-05-2025
Cara Darmody, 14, in 50-hour Leinster House protest
A 14-year-old Tipperary native has camped outside Leinster House overnight as part of her 50-hour protest regarding the Assessments of Needs (AON) crisis affecting children with disabilities.
Cara Darmody has been campaigning for better service for families with children with disabilities for three years, noting that it is both a 'national disgrace and international embarrassment' on how children are treated in Ireland.
The Assessments of Needs Law states that children with autism should be assessed within six months of application. Cara Darmody. Pic: Provided
The young campaigner said: 'It is not acceptable in my book — how can the Cabinet expect teenagers like me to obey the laws of our lands, when they are the ones that break a law openly and with impunity.
'It is a national disgrace and an international embarrassment in how we treat children in Ireland with Autism or Intellectual Disabilities.
'It must end — right here, right now.'
Cara's two younger brothers — Neil, 12, and John, 8, both have autism and severe/profound intellectual disabilities, with the secondary school student saying they were both 'failed dramatically by the State' regarding the Assessments & Services that they received. Cara Darmody. Pic: Provided
Cara added: 'There is nothing in my advocacy for them, I now do it for the national picture.'
On Tuesday morning at 10am, Cara commenced a 50-hour protest outside the front of Leinster House, which resulted in her sleeping in a tent overnight on Tuesday.
The Tipperary teen confirmed she had written recently to An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris with her asks.
These are: Declaration of a national emergency for children and the immediate cessation of breaking the AON law. Allocation of immediate and additional funding to 'Cara's Fund' — towards AON backlogs. Creation of a task force to examine & remove possible obstacles. Specific financial allocation towards backlogs of Services such as SLT, OT, physio. Permission to address the Cabinet sub-committee on Disability.
Cara said: 'I would give a dramatic address to ty and inspire the sub-committee to follow my lead in breaking down impossible barriers and to finally bring this AON issue under control.
'I will not stop until this Government, who is asleep at the wheel on the issue, wakes up and treats it as an emergency.'
