Tipperary teenager tells Taoiseach a thing or two during one-hour meeting at his office

Ardfinnan teenager Cara Darmody met the Taoiseach, Simon Harris in his office for one hour on Thursday afternoon last. Also present were Minister for Special Education Hildegarde Naughton and the Chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee on Autism Micheál Carrigy.

The Taoiseach immediately brought up the recent announcement by the Government of €7 million in funding for Assessments of Needs. He dramatically told Cara that that allocation was entirely due to her advocacy, campaigns and the specific Dáil motion brought in Cara’s name a year ago. He stated that he will make that known publicly.

That funding of €6.89 million will allow the HSE to procure up to 2,500 additional AONs, with delivery targeted over the next six months. The funding is in addition to existing HSE core funding of €5m, allocated for procurement of private assessments, which is targeting the completion of 1,800 AONs in 2024.

Cara intended to outline four asks during the meeting:

That the Government will undertake to stop the HSE breaking the Assessments of Needs Law. She told him directly that the HSE is breaking the law, and that if he sees that and doesn’t do something about it, then he is effectively breaking the law as well.

This is the law which says that the HSE must assess an autistic child within six months, but right now, they’re taking three to seven years in most cases. That’s a national disgrace.

Cara asked for a date/timeline that he will aim to achieve that first ask, and she proposed a period of 12 months.
She then asked that the Taoiseach stand beside her and make that commitment in public.

Cara remained laser focused on those first three asks, but did make a fourth ask as the meeting went on - that as he’s allocated €7 million.

The Taoiseach accepted that the law was being broken, and that it wasn’t acceptable. Cara made clear that she would continue to protest until he could answer her questions and do something about this issue.

The Taoiseach said that he will immediately convene experts, Ministers and others to establish if and how he can make this happen. He will offer Cara a specific meeting within a month in order to directly answer these asks.

Cara reiterated the point over and over that the law is being broken and that the Government cannot look past that.
Cara says: “I really went in there and tried to hold him to account. I didn’t hold back and told him that the law is being smashed and that it’s just so wrong. But he’s responsible for it now. So he really needs to act right now.”

“Look, he was really nice, totally respectful, and a real gentleman. But he really needs to stop the permanent damage being done to kids.”

“I’ll be meeting him again in a few weeks. He'll have to have an answer by then. But he can't continue to allow this to go on any longer - he has to act.”

“I’ll give him a few weeks to think about it - but I’ll continue protesting until he comes up with an answer. I’m bringing up my football next week for a game of footie outside the Taoiseach’s Department, maybe he’ll come out again.

“I suppose the reason that people are so happy about this meeting, is that someone finally cornered him on this issue. Let’s see what he says in a few weeks.”

Dad Mark said “To see her pointing out to the leader of the country that they’re breaking the law, was nothing short of a dramatic surreal moment. He took it on the chin.”

Also, to hear the Taoiseach state that your daughter was responsible for achieving €7 million in funding is probably something not many parents hear. She’s such an amazing girl.”

But she really held them to account and she won't leave them off the hook. She has them in a corner now, so let's see what happens. They were incredible respectful to her, she made a dramatic impact on everyone up there over the last 3 days.”