Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Farrell for attending the committee meeting today and for her presentation. I agree with my colleague, Deputy Wallace, regarding the lack of accountability and transparency being a common thread throughout many matters that come before us.

I am not a legal person. I have a problem with the term "ward of court" and people being called that. It seems a somewhat inhumane term. The term does not afford people the respect and dignity they deserve. It seems as if all their human rights have been taken from them. I wish a different term was used.

Ms Farrell referred to the UK model and said it was way ahead of us in Ireland. Would its system be the perfect scenario? Is it something she would like to see introduced here? I ask her to provide more detail on that and the comparison between the two jurisdictions.

Ms Farrell mentioned the ratification of the UN convention. Does she think that would help the situation in some way? How would it help? I do not know how Ms Farrell feels about the term "ward of court".