Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will answer Deputy Moynihan first.

Extensive work is ongoing involving the Department with the group established by the Department of the Taoiseach. As I said to Deputy Pringle earlier, it is crucial that we try to make progress in this area. It has been going on for too long with too many reports and not enough progress for people who require the reform. Extensive work will now start to try to bring a report by the autumn. The intention of this, led by the Department of the Taoiseach, is to try to bring various structures together once and for all to bring about the necessary reform that has been referenced.

I appreciate the kind words of Deputy Wynne. To answer her question, there is a specific and limited provision which I set out in the reply whereby wards of court must be PMC holders and may involve a non-related carer who is eligible for the DDS provisions. With regard to the assisted decision-making Act, the transition of wards of court provisions under the Act are being considered by the officials, including the policy implications of the transition for the DDS. If Deputy Wynne sends on more details it will help to inform the wider discussion in the context of the decision-making Act.

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