Tipperary schoolgirl Cara Darmody starts Dáil protest over autism services
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A Tipperary schoolgirl is protesting outside the Dáil as part of a campaign for better autism services.
Cara Darmody, who has two brothers with severe autism, plans to be outside the Dáil and the Taoiseach’s office every week until the summer recess for two days per week.
The 13-year-old previously met Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin when they were taoiseach to discuss changes to autism services.
Cara has also spoken with TDs and senators about her campaign, which led to a Labour Party parliamentary motion on better autism resourcing in 2023. Despite this, however, she says there is still not enough being done.
Speaking at the entrance to Taoiseach Simon Harris’s office, Cara said she launched the protest to draw attention to the fact that assessments "need to be done within months rather than years".
“I also want to see autistic children accessing the services they need within months of their assessments, rather than years.
“Let’s not forget that under the Disability Act 2005, the HSE is legally obliged to have a child’s needs assessed within six months.
“The government knows this but the last time I checked, there were 8,893 overdue assessments of need.
“Mr Harris has told the Dáil he is unhappy with this.
“That’s fine, but if he could give enough money to pay for the resources needed once and for all, that would be a great thing to do.”
The Ardfinnan native arrived at the entrance to the Taoiseach's Office just before 8am and plans to stay there until lunchtime.
She is hoping to speak to ministers as they arrive for Tuesday's Cabinet meeting.
"I hope I will at least get a chance to remind ministers of the government's obligations," she said.
"Not enough is being done and I am politely asking them to step up and do more, much more.
"Every month of a delay in assessing children for services and then giving them timely access to services can be catastrophic to the development of a child growing up with autism.
"Soundbites and promises are all well and good but families desperately need action, and that's not just action for a lucky percentage, but action for all.”
Her protest has echoes of how Gretta Thunberg started her campaigns to raise awareness about climate change.
Cara became the youngest person in Ireland to pass Leaving Cert maths in August 2023.
She was just 12 when she took both ordinary level papers at her national school in Ardfinnan in June that year.
Some six years ahead of her time, Cara — who is given extra maths lessons every week at home by her father Mark — got 97%.
It is the same mark she got when she sat the Junior Cert maths exam in 2022.
She decided to sit both exams to raise funds for autism services and awareness about the lack of timely resources for children with autism.
Cara’s father, Mark, said: “Cara is not campaigning to change the world.
“But she does want to do what she can to change a system that failed her brothers, and she doesn't just want to do it for them — she wants to do it for everyone in their shoes.”