Cara Darmody to protest for 50 hours outside Leinster House over assessment of needs 'crisis'

Cara Darmody finishing her last protest outside Leinster House in 2025. She also plans to come back to Leinster House in late September to campaign one day a week until substantial progress is made on this issue. Photo: SAM BOAL/Collins Photos

Disability campaigner Cara Darmody is to stage a 50-hour protest outside the gates of Leinster House over a "crisis" in the assessment of needs process.

The 15-year-old is returning to the Dáil gates from next Tuesday for two nights to demand immediate, legally binding timelines to eliminate the country's collapsing assessment of needs (AON) system.

The Tipperary native, who has two autistic brothers, has spent several years campaigning on this issue and said "permanent damage is being done to children with disabilities because of the long waits".

Under the Disability Act 2005, the HSE is legally obliged to have a child’s special needs assessed within six months but it has repeatedly failed to do this over the past 20 years.

The protest comes as the latest official figures reveal a record-breaking 21,782 children, up from 15,296 in May of last year, are currently left languishing past their statutory six-month assessment deadline.

"The Government tell us they are fixing the system, but the numbers don't lie. 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," she said.

The teenager also plans to come back to Leinster House in late September to campaign one day a week until substantial progress is made on this issue.

Through previous campaigns the schoolgirl succeeded in convincing the Government to create a €300m 'Cara’s Fund', but she hit out at the lack of delivery on this promise.

"To be fair to Government, every time that I come up to protest, we make some progress. And they did allocate millions to 'Cara's Fund' which I'm very grateful for. But 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."