Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming to the committee today, and joining us remotely. The overlaps and intersectionalities of disability and mental health are really complex and impact each individual differently . The insights from the sector and the issues that it and those they represent encounter are really important to help us understand the larger context and its impact on people.

My first questions are for Mr. McGrath. He pointed out that it is important that the HSE's mental health and intellectual disability teams talk to people with intellectual disabilities themselves so they can tell them what services they want for their mental health. Could he tell us more about how the HSE can work with him on this?

Mr. McGrath said the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act does not do everything that the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, says it should about recognising the right to make decisions. Could he tell us a bit more about that also?