12-year-old Cara Darmody's autism suggestions set to feature in Oireachtas report

Cara Darmody from Ardfinnan Co Tipperary with her father Mark at Leinster House in November 2022 after addressing the Oireachtas committee on Autism. File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Some of the issues raised on behalf of people with autism by a 12-year-old schoolgirl are expected to feature in a joint Oireachtas committee report on Wednesday.

The report is expected to make over 100 recommendations including a number that deal with assessments, one of the issues raised by Cara Darmody.

The Co Tipperary schoolgirl, who has two severely autistic brothers, has championed the need for more timely assessments of autistic children’s needs.

The Joint Committee on Autism Report recommends the State provide adequate financial support to families who access assessments and support privately due to their unavailability in the public health system.

It also recommends that the State enact legislation which requires publication of an autism strategy every three years, and national autism acceptance campaigns.

The committee also calls for the need to embed a culture of “inclusion and consultation” with the autistic community when designing public services which affect them.

The report includes a recommendation to establish a dedicated cross-departmental unit in the Department of the Taoiseach to “facilitate a whole-of-government approach to autism and to embed joined-up cross- departmental services”.

It also suggests that all government departments develop an autism policy.

There is also a recommendation that the State establish a one-stop-shop programme where autistic people can access information and link in with the services they require.

The report further recommends that the State should engage with the relevant professional bodies representing speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists and nurses to inform a long-term strategy to address the staffing issues in disability services.

There also needs to be a ‘rebalance’ of the distribution of resources between staff working on assessments of need and staff implementing therapeutic supports.

An autism activist, who asked not to be named, said: “On the face it is, this is another report saying what needs to be done.

“The reality is we already know what needs to be done and we know it isn’t being done.

“It will be years before the majority of the 100-plus recommendations ever see the light of day.”