A teenage disability rights campaigner has started a 50-hour picket outside Leinster House and is calling on the Government to address the large number of children awaiting an assessment for a disability or autism for six months or longer.
More than 15,000 children are waiting for an assessment of need, but the HSE estimates the number will grow to 25,000 by the end of this year.
Under disability legislation introduced in 2005, children are entitled to access the formal assessment of need process, which evaluates their condition and what services they require, within six months of applying.
Speaking about her decision to set up camp outside the Oireachtas, Cara Darmody (14) said “three previous taoisigh promised me change and they didn’t bring change”.
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“While I got €10 million worth of government funding, it just simply and utterly isn’t enough as there are over 15,000 kids rotting on HSE waiting lists for assessments of needs.”
Cara said the Government is “breaking the law on that issue” and that she is “here to fix that issue”.
Asked what she hopes to achieve, Cara said: “I want the Government to announce that they’re going to stop breaking the law, and then announce when they’re going to stop breaking the law, and then move heaven and earth to make that happen. And also allocate more money towards Cara’s fund.”
Last year, Cara campaigned for the then government to allocate extra funding for assessments of need. This led to an allocation of €10 million in the budget, which then taoiseach Simon Harris described as “Cara’s fund”.
The teenage activist from Co Tipperary said her motivation stems from the experiences of her brothers, Neil (12) and John (8), who have autism and intellectual disabilities.
“I want to win this time. I have so many built-up good and bad experiences in Leinster House. I’ve been in Leinster House I’d say about 100 times now, and I’ve met nearly early single politician [to tell them] it’s disgraceful what’s going on in Ireland about the assessment of needs crisis.
“It’s the only issue where they’re absolutely smashing and breaking the law. I’m determined to fix this issue.”
Cara plans to stay occupied during the protest by studying for her school exams, which are set to take place next week.
“I have a lot of things here. I have a football, I have study books, I have loads of food as well. Look, it’s going to be tough but no journey that leads to success is easy.”
Two weeks ago, Cara met Opposition party leaders to create a “Coalition of the Opposition”. The party leaders assembled outside Leinster House at 11.30am in a show of support.
The Government has allocated 3½ hours on Tuesday for statements on the issue, while Sinn Féin has put down a motion for debate later on Tuesday demanding that the Government takes emergency action.
Cara’s father, Mark Darmody, was with her outside Leinster House on Tuesday.
“I actually think it’s a big political moment because the public are going to see the opposition united,” said Mr Darmody.
“That sums up the Government’s conduct here, that they’ve managed to put together a Coalition of the Opposition,” he said. “So well done to the Cabinet, by not dealing with this issue, you’ve just united every other politician on what I think is the right side of this argument. So that’s going to have political repercussions.”
In a statement on Monday, a spokesman for Minister for Children Norma Foley said: “We fully acknowledge that the waiting lists for assessments of need are far too long and that this has a significant impact on the lives of children and their families.”
The statement added that the Government will introduce a series of reforms to overhaul the entire system and that proposals have been repeatedly discussed by the Cabinet committee, including legislative change.
However, Government sources admit that capacity constraints will mean people will have to continue to wait for assessments.
