Ms Cara Darmody:

First, I can confirm that for the Senator. I can also confirm that the Taoiseach did not make any other further promises during the meeting, that he could not declare this as a national emergency and that I told him that is what needs to be done because there are children being permanently damaged. While I do not doubt for a second that the Taoiseach might want to do something with us, and while I might not doubt his sincerity and I know that he is a good person, unfortunately he was not able to commit to anything. He was not able to commit to making change. He openly said that the HSE is not really in the place to follow the law right now.

It is crazy that the Taoiseach does not see this as a national disgrace and that he just is not able to see that this is like the Titanic in that the numbers will rise by over 10,000 by the end of the year. I told the Taoiseach that in the meeting. I said that this is going down like a lead balloon, that it is only going down one way and that he needs to do something about this. Not only is this a national crisis, but it is an international embarrassment as well. He could not recognise the fact that we need to do something about this. I told him that it was a national disgrace and he just kind of bluffed it off. He just started going on about statistics and figures and this number and that number but there was no action confirmed and he could not say it was a national disgrace. He did not say he was going to do anything about the issue which makes me determined to keep on fighting for those who cannot fight back for themselves.

I have received support from so many TDs, Senators and Ministers and I have received so much support from the public. Everyone says I am right, even the Taoiseach and his predecessors. They say that I am all right and that just getting change is the big problem here. I get on well with all of them. They all say I am right to be doing this. It is unfortunate that I have to be up here doing this - for example, with my protest three weeks ago - because the Government is not able to do the job it is being paid to do. I will keep on protesting and fighting until I get what I want and until those who are being permanently damaged can finally get the services and the assessments of need they deserve.