Autism campaigner Cara Darmody to continue street vigil outside Dáil
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A schoolgirl is vowing to continue a street vigil that she began in June outside the Dáil and the Taoiseach's Office as part of her campaign for better autism services
Cara Darmody made the promise after meeting Simon Harris on Monday, saying the Taoiseach could not commit to a key demand she made when they last met in June.
Then, she had had asked Mr Harris to set a date by which the HSE would commit to abide by the Disability Act 2005, which sets a legal obligation to have a child’s special needs assessed within six months.
Mr Harris promised to speak to the HSE, which has repeatedly failed to fulfill its legal obligations under over the past 19 years.
Cara, from Tipperary, told him at the time she would maintain a street vigil outside his office and the Dáil until the day the HSE agreed to abide by the law.
The 13-year-old, who is campaigning for better autism services and has two severely autistic brothers, asked the Taoiseach again today when they met if he would get the HSE to set a date.
But she said as Mr Harris couldn't commit to a date, she is now planning to restart her street vigil, as well as a major disability rights rally outside the Dáil on September 26.
“I am really happy the Taoiseach took the time to speak to me and to consider what I had asked him back in June," Cara said.
“But to be honest, as much as I really like him as a person, I am very disappointed that while he said he will get the HSE to stop breaking the law, he wouldn’t say when it would stop breaking the law."
Her father Mark added: "The Taoiseach said he is launching an autism strategy.
"But we told him that for as long as the HSE is allowed to break the law, no strategy will ever work."
He also said he needs to review how often his daughter will do her protest vigils outside the Dáil in the winter, but added: "She said she would do them as long as the HSE is allowed to break the law."
At their meeting yesterday pm Monday, Mr Harris told Cara that an announcement earlier this year that €7m was to be invested in autism services was inspired by her.
He also told her he was now calling that funding Cara’s Fund and he would increase funding to it.
Mr Harris said that to date, 379 children have benefitted from that funding as they have received their assessment of need — which necessary to gain access to State-funded autism services.
As well as previous visits to the Taoiseach's office as an invited guest, Cara has also spent time in the Oireachtas itself, speaking to TDs and senators about her campaign, which has included her becoming the youngest person in Ireland to pass Leaving Cert maths in August 2023, aged just 12.
The Taoiseach's Office was asked for a comment.