Tipperary teenager appears on RTE's Primetime with Sarah McInerney

A Tipperary teenager was recently asked to appear on RTE One's Prime Time to discuss the assessment of needs crisis facing families of disabled children in Ireland.

Teenage disability campaigner Cara Darmody sat down with Sarah McInerney on last Thursday night’s Prime Time, where she discussed her campaign and her recent meeting with Tánaiste, Simon Harris.

"I think it's wrong that a 14-year-old is doing the job that the government should be doing. How come a 14-year-old can find solutions to this crisis?," asked Cara during her interview. 

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Cara spoke about how she was inspired to start campaigning due to her two younger brothers who are severely autistic, Neil and John. "My campaign is all about helping other children so they don't have to go through the same problems,' explained Cara.

Cara said that she wanted to raise awareness about the assessments of needs issue in Ireland and to also tackle the myth about the recruitment of therapists in the country. 

One outcome from her recent meeting with Tánaiste Simon Harris was that he promised her that the assessments of needs six-month time limit will not be extended by the government, which is welcome news to those who were worried that the law would be changed. 

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"The right to an assessment of need will remain. He also said that the six-month timeline is not going to be changed, that will also remain. There was a big fear that the government would change the law or even extend the law, so that they wouldn't be breaking the law anymore. He also promised more money to Cara's Fund to help alleviate the crisis," concluded Cara.