Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to be here to speak to the last Stage of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022. It is a key Bill that allows us finally to abolish the Victorian concept of wardship from Irish law and thus enhance our compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD. It will finally allow for the operation of the Decision Support Service, which creates a tiered level of supports for those with capacity limitations, and it does other things, including increasing our target for the employment of persons with a disability in the public and civil service. It is currently a 3% target and that will rise to 6% by 2025. There has been extensive debate and engagement about this legislation in this House and the other House and there has been engagement with NGOs. We are bringing forward a significant range of amendments that have been agreed in Seanad Éireann to reflect that debate.

Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 add the Courts and Courts Officers Act 1995, the Credit Union Act 1997 and the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 to the Long Title. Amendments Nos. 3 and 4 reflect how the Credit Union Act 1997 and the National Disability Authority Act 1999 and the Mental Health Act 2001 should be construed following amendments to be brought to those Acts in the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022.

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