Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My first question is for Mental Health Reform, so either Ms Coyle or Ms Grogan. In its written submission, Mental Health Reform called for the Decision Support Service to maintain a register of advance healthcare directives. That is a statement individuals can make on the type of medical or surgical treatment they want or do not want if they are unable to make these decisions in the future. I presume the concern is that in emergencies, where a person has lost capacity due a mental health crisis, how would the healthcare professional be aware of an advance healthcare directive without such a register. I ask Ms Coyle or Ms Grogan to elaborate on the importance of amending the Bill to provide for registering AHDs to the committee. The questions on what specific changes can be made with regard to 16- and 17-year-olds have been answered.

For the Independent Living Movement, my question is for Mr. Kearns. The written submission referred to the absence of reference to what decisions assisted decision-making capacity will support disabled people in making. Mr. Kearns stated there is a need to explicitly reference, for example, advanced care directives and choice of where and with whom you live, and the full expression of human experiences, including the right to relationships. It is important for the committee to hear Mr. Kearns elaborate on the importance of explicitly including these references in the Bill.