Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

There is sense in the Minister of State's amendments particularly in respect of amendment No. 114, which is quite detailed. It is important to be clear in these matters as to who can represent a person because unfortunately there are cases in which advantage can be taken of elderly people who are unable to make decisions for themselves. There can be unscrupulous family members or others who are connected to people who might pretend to act in the interests of such people while in fact acting in their own interests. Consequently, I welcome that further thought has been given to this issue. I hope it is watertight and is in the interests of the elderly person, which is what all Members seek.

I do not have a problem with the amendments tabled by the Minister of State, which deal with concerns raised previously by Members.

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