A Tipperary autism advocate will be marching on Leinster House once a week to campaign for change.
12 year old sixth class student, Cara Darmody from Ardfinnan has embarked on this campaign in addition to preparing for the Leaving Cert maths exam in June in order to see change for those with autism and disabilities.
Her two brothers Neil and John are severely autistic and need 24/7 care.
She told Tipp Today she has three key demands – financial relief for parents, an external complaints body for the HSE and change to the Carers Allowance.
“I want a full review of Carers Allowance, it is presently seen as welfare, but it’s not, because my Mammy works twice as hard as anyone else, and she works 24 hours 7 days a week and twice that on a Sunday and she should be getting at least minimum wage.”
Cara said she has been given permission by the Department of Education to march on Leinster House every Wednesday and explained how this has come about.
“If anyone has a concern that I am out of school, I struggle with Neil hitting and biting himself all the time, I struggle to do my work some nights, so therefore the education welfare service allows me to home school at my house one day a week and I can choose that day. It’s because I have been doing it for years already, the only difference is I am changing he location from my house to Leinster House.”
