Tipperary autism advocate presses Taoiseach Harris for progress on issues

Taoiseach Simon Harris was told by Tipperary autism campaigners that the anger and resentment within the autism and disability community towards Government politicians was escalating.

Both Cara Darmody and her father Mark expressed their frustration at the lack of progress made following the meeting at Government buildings with Taoiseach Simon Harris and Minister Anne Rabbitte.

Cara Darmody had previously raised a number of issues with the Taoiseach and this meeting was held to see what progress had been made.

Cara had called on the Taoiseach to acknowledge that the HSE is breaking the Assessments of Needs (AON) law.

She also asked him to commit to stopping them from breaking this law within a timeframe and that 

 allocate specific financial resources to this issue.

“We are extremely grateful to the Taoiseach that he is engaging us on these national issues. For Cara to be given that opportunity is nothing short of amazing. We are obviously frustrated that it is taking so long to make substantial progress. We were also disappointed that he could not give a commitment to a specific timeframe to stop the breaking of the AON law by the HSE, and also that he could not say what financial allocation would occur. While they are moving in the right direction in a positive manner, it just isn’t fast enough for the disability community,” said Cara and Mark in a joint statement issued after the meeting.

They took some positives from the meeting. Taoiseach Harris produced a report from the HSE stating that 379 additional children had received an AON in June alone because of this fund. He stated that he expected figures from July and August very soon, but expects them to total over 1,000 children in total for the three months receiving AONs that they wouldn’t have received if the fund wasn’t there. He also stated that when additional funds are placed into this, that it is solely because of Cara's work, advocacy and previous Dáil motion.

They were both happy that Taoiseach Harris  gave a commitment to stopping the HSE breaking the AON law and that he gave a firm commitment that additional funding will be allocated to Cara's issues in the upcoming Budget.

Taoiseach Harris informed them of various initiatives in relation to recruitment and spoke of their intention to put therapists into Special Schools. 

They were disappointed that Taoiseach Harris not commit to a timeline to when he will stop the HSE breaking the AON law and he could not state how much will be allocated to these issues in the next budget, citing budget sensitivity and confidentiality.

“This ongoing crisis in supports for children with disabilities is not going to wash with the public any longer, but the HSE keeps smashing and breaking the law.”

“We welcome any Autism Strategy, but nothing has actually changed after our meeting.

“So many members of the public are filled with anger and resentment over the failure of so many politicians to put children first, which is the fundamental issue. Children and their needs should not be ignored.

“My two sons still do not have any speech and language therapy sessions and we, along with so many other families, are facing into a hard winter.”  

“I have no doubt that Simon Harris is full of sincerity and Cara was delighted to engage with him and to get the opportunity to do so, but no matter what Autism Strategy is launched, it will fall on deaf ears by the public,”  said Mark Darmody.

 “I am really happy the Taoiseach took the time to speak to me and to consider what I had asked him back in June.

“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 he will do that. That's so disappointing. But maybe he can do that when I meet him again in October,” said Cara Darmody.