Campaigner from Tipperary to stage 50-Hour protest as Assessment of Needs crisis hits historic high
The Tipperary teenager says she is continuing to protest outside Leinster House as the Assessment of Needs (AON) crisis has hit a historic high
Renowned teenage disability rights activist Cara Darmody (15) will launch a gruelling 50-hour continuous overnight protest outside the gates of Leinster House, beginning on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 11:00 AM.
The Ardfinnan native—who has spent several years campaigning on this issue and succeeded in convincing the Government to create “Cara’s Fund” and place over €30million of funding in it—is returning to the Dáil gates to demand immediate, legally binding timelines to eliminate the country’s collapsing Assessment of Needs (AON) system.
The protest comes as the latest official figures reveal a record-breaking 21,782 children, up from 15,296 in May 2025, are currently left languishing past their statutory six-month assessment deadline.
During the 50-hour campaign, Cara will sleep on the pavement outside the parliament gates, surviving two full nights in a tent.
She will also signal her intention to come back to Leinster House in late September to campaign one day a week until substantial progress is made on this issue.
Cara will begin her 50-hour continuous overnight protest this Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 11:00 AM and will finish it on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 1:00 PM.
During this time the teen will camp outside the front gates of Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Cara says her key demand is for the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and for the government to activate Cara’s suggestion of an immediate emergency international recruitment plan for psychologists/therapists.
She is also asking for the government to provide further funding to ‘Cara’s Fund’ (set up in Cara’s honour) which has already received €30million of government funding in the last two Budgets.
Speaking ahead of her protest, Cara Darmody said: “The Government tell us they are fixing the system, but the numbers don’t lie. There are now over 21,000 children being completely failed by this State. We are talking about children missing their windows for early intervention in 93% of cases, changing the course of their lives forever. I am sleeping on the street for 50 hours because these children cannot wait any longer.”
Cara explained what she will do if progress is not made after her protest next week. “When I leave the street, the issue goes off the political table. So I intend to come back in late September to campaign one day a week if the Government can’t convince me that something quickly is being done to tackle those waiting lists in the short-term,” she said.
Mark Darmody, Cara’s father, added: “While her two autistic brothers are always the motivation behind everything she does, Cara is doing this solely for the national cause, which is incredibly noble of her. Her smile, passion and dedication are admired by everyone, including all the political parties, so we’re very proud of what she’s achieved in such a positive manner. For a teenager to have convinced the Government to create “Cara’s Fund” and put over €30million in it, is just an unprecedented achievement. She never speaks negatively about anyone, and she has a very unique style about her – action over talk. So she’ll keep pressing positively until she gets more progress.”