Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do have a question. As yesterday was the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I ask the Leader to invite the Minister to the House to advise us as to when the 1871 Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act will be repealed and when we will see new legislation. People with intellectual disabilities, mental health problems and older people with dementia are termed "lunatics" under Irish law, which is absolutely intolerable and outrageous. The aforementioned Act allows for the ward of court system, which means the court makes all decisions about such people's lives, including decisions on medical and financial matters. We are behind every other European country in this regard. The Government has said that it cannot ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities without our laws being updated. In that context, I call on the Government to adhere to the commitment that was given in the programme for Government that new legislation would be introduced and I ask that it be given priority in early 2013.