Offaly's Ray backs teen's disability rights protest outside the Dáil

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Rahan mental health campaigner Ray Larkin has lent his support to the 50-hour protest staged outside Leinster House this week by Tipperary teenager and mental health advocate Cara Darmody.

The 14-year-old staged her protest outside Government Buildings on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, camping overnight in a tent outside Dáil Éireann.

On Tuesday, she was accompanied by her father into the Department of the Taoiseach at Government Buildings, where she highlighted inadequacies in disability and mental health supports, with a particular focus on autism assessment waiting lists.

Other issues raised during the protest included the lack of school places for children with additional needs, and rising suicide rates, which in recent years have reached their highest levels in the history of the State.

"I fully support her campaign, and it's incredibly encouraging to see young people standing up and demanding the rights that every Irish person deserves," Ray said. "I had the opportunity to meet (Sinn Féin leader) Mary Lou McDonald where she expressed her full support for Cara Darmody.

"I also met Cara outside Leinster House, where this remarkable 14-year-old staged a 50-hour protest to highlight the shocking inadequacies in the mental health and disability support systems for children - an issue I’ve spoken about many times.

"Under the Disability Act 2005, children with autism are legally entitled to have their needs assessed within six months. Yet over 15,000 children are currently waiting for these assessments, with that number continuing to rise. I want to wish Cara the very best with her protest."

Ray added: "The damage our Government is doing to young children is not acceptable."

The local man is well-known in the county for his work promoting mental health issues, and he has also been campaigning on issues such as the cost of living and homelessness.