Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach very much. I welcome Senator Carrigy’s class here today. It is a very proud thing to have one’s own primary school come to visit Seanad Éireann. Senator Carrigy does a great deal of work for and on education in this Chamber and when he talks about it, he is thinking about the school in Ballinalee.

I thank my colleagues for acknowledging the presence of Cara Darmody here today. She is one of the most amazing young people one is ever likely to meet. She is an 11-year-old and is here with her parents, Mark and Noelle. It is important to acknowledge them and I am grateful that people have welcomed them here today. There are two other people, Neil and John Darmody, who would also love to be here. Cara is here to raise awareness of autism and to fight for services that her two brothers need, as do many like them across the country.She has raised €17,000 already. The money has been raised by means of her plan to sit the junior certificate maths paper next month. People do not know this, but she announced last week that, as a sixth class student, she will sit the leaving certificate paper next year. She is a phenomenal individual. We are very proud of her in our parish. Everyone in the parish is right behind what the family is doing.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Josepha Madigan, for meeting the family this morning. They have a busy schedule today. We had a really productive discussion on autism services and on what needs to be changed. The Minister of State was very open to what Cara, Noelle and Mark put forward, and I thank her for that. It is a brilliant story. What Cara has done is amazing. However, she should not have to do it. There is a greater good, namely, getting services for Neil and John. It is important to state that none of this money is going to them. Rather, it is going to Scoil Chormaic in Cashel and to Ardfinnan National School. None of the money is for Cara or her brothers; what she is doing is about raising awareness. I wish her well; she is an inspiration to us. I would be grateful if the Leader could meet the family following the Order of Business. She would be very impressed by them.

On a separate note and while we are talking about education, I spoke yesterday about Grange National School. I want to inform the House at the extension has been agreed and funding has been provided to the primary school. The principal, Marie Keating, and the board of management are happy with that. I thank the Minister.