CARA Darmody, a 14-year-old autism and disability rights campaigner, is asking Limerick people to join her rally at Leinster House on Thursday, September 26 from 11am to 12 noon.
Cara has been protesting weekly since June, demanding the government address delays in Assessments of Needs, improve vital services like speech therapy, and ensure proper school placements for children with disabilities.
“Everything about me organising this ‘Monster Meeting’ rally is wrong. I shouldn’t be there – I should be in school… Instead, I will be there standing up for kids who cannot fight back,” says Cara.
While Cara’s campaigning secured €7 million for assessment backlogs, she insists, “thanks for the €7 million, but it’s only a drop in the ocean – now please cough-up an awful lot more.”
“My childhood has been stolen because of Government inaction. My two brothers, who have autism & severe intellectual disabilities, weren’t properly assessed, don’t get proper Services, and are in the wrong school for their disability. For our family, when you’re dealing with the HSE and State Services, you are treated as an enemy of the State. Our story is most people’s story,” Ms Darmody said.
