We would like to acknowledge the fact that Deputy Donnchadh O Laoghaire mentioned the very important matter of Wards of a Court which was before the Committee recently and about which the Committee published a Report in February last. It was also the subject of a Report by the National Safeguarding Committee this year. It is noted that Minister McGrath added it as an afterthought in his response - and that is exactly what this matter remains - an afterthought... The issue of Wards of Court crosses every strata through disability, mental health, capacity, disability services, amendments to legislation and so on. In fact a key area for attention after Ireland signed the CRPD was the reform of the Office of Wards of Court System. Yet here we are over a decade later and successive administrations have failed to act to ensure the rights of these very vulnerable people who are under the direct care and supervision of the State through the Wards of Court and Courts Service.
It is disgraceful that we are told on good authority that it will be another four years before the DSS is set up and the Wards discharged.
That is nothing to be proud of and as for a wider or broader interpretation of Deprivation of Liberty - how about the example of a Ward of Court who has to seek approval of the President of the High Court to leave the country - even for services or a holiday... Is that Deprivation of Liberty - and no one bats an eyelid!
This is shameful treatment of a most vulnerable group for whom the State has responsibility - and then to add insult to injury and fail to ratify the Optional Protocols of the CRPD...
Mary Farrell
Posted on 5 Jul 2018 11:16 pm
We would like to acknowledge the fact that Deputy Donnchadh O Laoghaire mentioned the very important matter of Wards of a Court which was before the Committee recently and about which the Committee published a Report in February last. It was also the subject of a Report by the National Safeguarding Committee this year. It is noted that Minister McGrath added it as an afterthought in his response - and that is exactly what this matter remains - an afterthought... The issue of Wards of Court crosses every strata through disability, mental health, capacity, disability services, amendments to legislation and so on. In fact a key area for attention after Ireland signed the CRPD was the reform of the Office of Wards of Court System. Yet here we are over a decade later and successive administrations have failed to act to ensure the rights of these very vulnerable people who are under the direct care and supervision of the State through the Wards of Court and Courts Service.
It is disgraceful that we are told on good authority that it will be another four years before the DSS is set up and the Wards discharged.
That is nothing to be proud of and as for a wider or broader interpretation of Deprivation of Liberty - how about the example of a Ward of Court who has to seek approval of the President of the High Court to leave the country - even for services or a holiday... Is that Deprivation of Liberty - and no one bats an eyelid!
This is shameful treatment of a most vulnerable group for whom the State has responsibility - and then to add insult to injury and fail to ratify the Optional Protocols of the CRPD...