Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In the case of such repayments, for instance where a child is damaged at birth, the Government is changing to a more progressive funding model whereby people will be paid through their lives rather than expecting to invest. Even though it is an enormous sum, as the Senator noted, one has no indication as to what can happen in respect of stocks, bonds and all those things unless one puts it into the drawer at the bottom of the bed and does nothing with it. That is the only protection but I am not certain it would last very long.

However, the Government is moving away from wardship and moving away entirely from a court-protected system and people then will be empowered, with protections and advice from whomsoever they choose in respect of those matters. Everyone then must trust that the right decisions are made; people sometimes do not but then again, that is what this Bill is about, namely, the right to make the wrong decision for oneself, because we all make wrong decisions. While I commend the Senator's foresight, the Government is moving away from what the Senator is proposing and I know he will appreciate that.