Tipperary autism advocate addresses Leinster House conference

Autism advocate Cara Darmody from Ardfinnan addressed Child Talks 2022 - an annual event which is organised by the Ombudsman for Children.

Leinster House was chosen as this year’s location to mark World Children’s Day. Cara (12), who was one of six child speakers on the day, spoke passionately about the need for improved waiting lists for children with autism, the need for assessments to occur in a timely manner and for carers to be treated properly. She described her own family circumstances and spoke movingly about her own brothers Neil (10) and John (5) who are both severely autistic.

“Neil never got the proper services that he deserved from the HSE. Even today, Neil has been left on a waiting list for psychiatry and we have been told that he will not be seen indefinitely. That is just plain wrong. It makes me feel really, really angry,” she said. “John on the other hand was diagnosed way faster than Neil, at 1 ¾ years old. Mammy and Daddy were able to get him private services and he has done so much better than Neil,” said Cara.

“In Ireland, we must stop using the term early Intervention as it does not exist unless parents have the money to pay privately for it. That is just so wrong,” she said.

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To a rapturous applause Cara announced that she had received her Junior Cycle Maths exam result live on RTE’s The Late Late Show, receiving the incredible result of 97%.

Cara had sat this exam while only 11 and raised €40,000 for charities.
Cara then spoke about her meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin last July and emphasised that promises were made to her that change would occur. “What has changed? Nothing. If a family wants their child to be assessed for autism, they still have to pay for it privately. And those waiting lists have gotten even longer since I embarked on this journey. Today there are 18,000 children left to rot on a HSE waiting list, waiting to be assessed for autism. Things have only gotten worse,” she said.

Cara told the gathered crowd that she would now sit the Leaving Certificate Maths papers next June to continue raising awareness of what she says is a national disgrace.

“Politicians are all talk and no action. This attitude must change,” she said. Cara also wore her new campaign jersey, commissioned by Kieran Bergin Sports in Clonmel, around Leinster House for the entire day with the clear slogan on the front stating “End Disability Discrimination”. Cara called for three specific changes to occur immediately. She wanted the HSE to be made accountable for their actions. “They investigate themselves for complaints – that culture must end now,” said Cara. Cara wanted financial relief for parents paying privately for assessments and therapies. “No parent should have to pay for the State’s failures,” she insisted.

She also stated that carers should be treated properly. “My Mammy works 24/7, it is not a welfare payment, she works harder than anyone. It needs to be recognised much differently by Government. They must listen to what Family Carers Ireland are saying,” she said.