13-05-2025
‘Extraordinary' Irish teen ‘feels compelled' to hold 50-hour Dail sleep-out protest over autism assessments wait times
THE Dail heard how an 'extraordinary' teenage disability campaigner is set to stage a sleep-out protest at Leinster House next week.
Cara Darmody, 14, from Tipperary
3
Cara Darmody is set to stage a sleep-out protest at Leinster House next week
Credit: Collect
3
The second-year student has already met with Leo Varadkar, Michael Martin and Simon Harris as part of her ongoing efforts
Credit: Collect through journalist
The second-year student has already met with
And last year she secured €10 million in funding pledged by Simon Harris towards private assessments for families who have been waiting for
Cara is now calling on the Government to declare the Assessment of Need (AON) issue a national crisis due to the number of children 'being permanently damaged by inaction'.
An AON - as outlined in the Disability Act 2005 - is an assessment carried out by the
Read more in News
The parents or guardians of a young person can apply in writing for an assessment and must receive a letter from the HSE within 14 days confirming the application has been received and a start date for the assessment.
These assessments should start within three months and be completed within a further three months, giving a six month overall timeframe.
However, the Dail has heard that 90 per cent of assessments were being completed outside these legal requirements outlined in the Disability Act.
More than 14,000 children are waiting for an assessment.
Most read in Irish News
As part of her 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.
The schoolgirl, who has two brothers with severe autism, intends to
TEEN'S PLIGHT
The teenager's plight was raised in Leinster House today by a number of politicians.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy told the Dail: 'Over 14000 children are waiting for an assessment of needs.
'The Government is breaking its own laws as 90 per cent of the assessment of needs are not carried out within the time frame.
'We have an incredible situation where a 14-year-old - Cara Darmody - feels compelled to sleep outside for 50 hours to fight for the rights of her brothers.
'She really shouldn't have to and we should have time on the Dail schedule next week to have a joint motion to say that the Government and the State are going to stop breaking its legal obligation and provide the funding and resources to ensure that every child gets the assessment of needs in the time that they need to have it."
Responding, Minister of State Mary Butler said she would engage with the Opposition and speaking times for next week.
Earlier, Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon described Cara in the Dail as an 'extraordinary young girl', while Sinn Fein's Padraig Mac Lochlainn said he'd work with the opposition to draft a motion to go before the Dail "to deal with this issue once and for all".
3
The Tipperary teen has been campaigning for the Government to take significant action to shorten wait times for autism assessments
