Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at Local Level: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Pauline TullyPauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Regarding the complaints' procedure, it was said there were only three complaints. How accessible is this procedure? Perhaps people are not complaining because they either do not know how to do so or find it very difficult. I ask Ms Denning to consider this aspect.

My other question relates to wards of court. I know people cannot be made wards of court since the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022 came into effect. My understanding is that there is a three-year process for people to be discharged from wardship. Ms Denning said it has been very slow. I refer to the cost and effort required in respect of the discharge. Some families who have applied to have a loved one discharged from wardship have been told they will have to pay legal fees of anything up to €5,000. If there is only a three-year period in which to do this and one year has gone already, I do not understand why it has not moved on further or why the courts are not actively pursuing the removal of people from wardship.