Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

If it appears to the board during the process that a claimant or respondent is not fully aware of the legal consequences of any action or inaction by him or her under the Act, it shall be the duty of the board to do one or more of the following: To advise the claimant or the respondent, as appropriate, of the desirability of taking legal advice regarding the process; to advise the claimant or respondent, as appropriate, of the legal consequences of an action or an inaction during the PIAB process; and to provide such reasonable assistance to the claimant or respondent, as appropriate, to enable them to carry out the necessary steps. Section 29(3) provides that the board shall inform the respondent or claimants, as appropriate, of the fact that any actions set out by the board have been carried out. This places a legal requirement on the board to satisfy itself that vulnerable persons are fully protected. We deal with minors in another area, as the Senator knows, but this deals specifically with other categories of citizen.