14 year-old autism and disability activist from Tipperary, Cara Darmody, has led a rally outside Leinster House demanding for improved services in Ireland.
She has been campaigning for over three years for better services for people living with autism and extra needs. Cara has two brothers with autism and said that she will continue to protest for the services in this country that are severely lacking.
Cara is meeting with the HSE and opposition politicians to discuss her demands this evening.
This morning, many parents met outside Leinster house to hear Cara's inspirational words.
Cara is campaigning for increased investment for assessment of needs, school places, and services for children with disabilities and special needs.
According to the HSE, more than 10,000 children are waiting for an assessment.
However, under the 2005 Disability Act, children legally need to be assessed within six months of requesting one.
Cara says the State is breaking its own laws by leaving many children on assessment waiting lists for longer than six months.
"I think that if the HSE can stop breaking the assessments needs law then we would make so much further progress on our assessments, OT and school places and everything else. This is not a normal national crisis, this is an international embarrassment to our country, for the government and the HSE. Any person in Ireland would be so embarrassed to talk about how our country treats autistic and disabled people."
She continued to say that children with disabilities are rotting on waiting lists.
"I shouldn't be here. I should be in school and in class like a normal 14-year-old. Instead, I am standing up for kids who can not fight back all because our political system treats kids with disabilities disgracefully."
Cara says she wants answers around why so many children are waiting longer than six months for their assessment.
"I took matters into my own hands and contacted the HSE CEO, Bernard Gloster, and said that we want to discuss the national failures.
"I am delighted to report that he immediately responded and appointed his number two, Bernard O'Regan, an expert in children's disability services to meet us."
Richard Boyd Barrett People before Profit TD, says this is the unfortunate reality for children with disabilities:
"Waiting lists for school lists. Waiting lists for assessments. Waiting lists for appropriate housing. Waiting for the transport necessary to get to school. It just goes on and on."
Mary Lou McDonald, Leader of Sinn Fein says the state is breaking the law.
"How is it that in a state that is running in the billions, tens of billions, of surpluses, how is it that people with disabilities are so badly failed. The answer is; there is no defence."
Cara says she will continue to protest outside the Dáil every Wednesday until the government meets her demands.
Fore more information, check out her social media page on Facebook titled 'Inspiration by Cara Darmody'.
Report by Laura Kelly
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