Disability activist Cara Darmody (14) has called for the declaration of a national health emergency in an address to the Dáil committee on disability on Wednesday morning.
The secondary school pupil from Co Tipperary criticised what she has described as an “all talk no action” approach to the assessment-of-needs crisis.
Last month, Ms Darmody carried out a 50-hour picket in front of Leinster House, calling on the Government to remedy the large number of children waiting for six months or more for a disability or autism assessment.
More than 15,000 children are waiting for an assessment of need, but the HSE estimates the number will grow to 25,000 by the end of this year.
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On Wednesday morning, she criticised “the blatant assessments-of-needs lawbreaking by the Taoiseach and the Government”.
“My message to the Taoiseach today is very simple – immediately declare this as a national emergency, set up a taskforce to physically knock on every private psychologist and therapist’s door in the country with an emergency request for help, and dramatically finance ‘Cara’s Fund’,” she said in her opening statement to the committee.
The teenage activist has said her motivation stems from the experiences of her brothers, Neil (12) and John (8), who have autism and intellectual disabilities.
She challenged comments on a lack of capacity in the private sector, noting “37 psychologists wrote to me unsolicited since my protest, offering immediate assessments for my brothers”.
Lianne Quigley, chairperson of the Irish Deaf Society (IDS), IDS chief executive John Sherwin and Damien Walshe of Independent Living Movement Ireland also addressed the committee.
Ms Quigley advocated for greater investment and resources on behalf of the Disabled Persons’ Organisations Network, while highlighting the importance of co-creation in developing policy.
She described this as an “inclusive and collaborative process where all stakeholders work together” to achieve policy reform that would reflect the “lived experiences” of disabled people.
Asked by Labour senator Laura Harmon whether the Taoiseach had discussed reaching out to any professional providers during their last meeting, Ms Darmody said “there was no action confirmed”.
“He openly said that the HSE is not in a place to follow the law right now.”
Addressing the committee, her father Mark Darmody said Mr Martin “conceded 100 per cent that they [Government] have not even knocked on doors” about seeking therapists during their meeting in May.
“Right now we are sleepwalking into a disaster,” he added.
