Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

An issue has been brought to my attention by some of the stakeholders on facilitating the move of the decision support service to the Mental Health Commission. A number of NGOs advocate that a DSS should be set up as an independent statutory body with reporting responsibilities to the Department of Justice and Equality. Stakeholders have advised me they were not consulted about this move and do not support it. Who did the Minister of State consult with and did she take on board their concerns about this? Is she willing to reconsider their view that the decision support service should be set up as an independent statutory body similar to comparable bodies such as the National Disability Authority? I acknowledge that the Minister of State has engaged with stakeholders throughout the process. We have hundreds of amendments here again which some people criticise. I do not because I think it is a sign the Minister of State is listening and making changes. She has made changes on different stages of the Bill; it will never reach a point of perfection but legitimate concerns have been brought to my attention. Is there time for reflection and change? If the Minister of State is adamant this is what she wants to do, will she set out the reasons why?

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