'The State is Failing Our Children' - Tipperary TD backs Cara Darmody's 50-hour protest

Independent Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath has sharply criticised the Government and the HSE over what he described as the "systematic, unlawful and inhumane failure" to provide timely assessments of need for children with disabilities.

His comments came during a Dáil debate on Tuesday evening, which followed the presence of young disability rights campaigner Cara Darmody and her father in the public gallery.

"We spent five hours tonight in this House debating the State’s failure to provide assessments of need, while Cara Darmody looked on from the gallery — a 13-year-old girl doing so much to hold the Government account" Deputy McGrath stated.

"Every hour the HSE delays these assessments, it is breaking the law. Yet there is no accountability, no urgency, and no justice for these children and their families."

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Deputy McGrath linked the HSE’s failure on disability services to broader issues of waste and mismanagement, citing inflated administrative costs and an expanding bureaucracy that, he argued, does little to deliver frontline care.

“We now have a €24 billion health budget, and yet children are being denied basic supports guaranteed by law. What kind of Republic allows this to continue? What kind of system forces parents to take legal action just to get a diagnosis for their child?”

Referencing the Disability Services situation locally, Deputy McGrath highlighted that there are 233 children and young people currently awaiting an Autism Assessment in South Tipperary while the wait time for assessment for a new referral is currently 48 months.

Deputy McGrath joined Cara Darmody during her 50 hour protest outside Leinster House to highlight the failures of the HSE in providing adequate Disability Services.

"Cara has embarrassed this State into paying attention. But we need more than attention — we need action."