Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to begin by paying tribute to the courage, commitment and dedication to peaceful protest exhibited by Austin Currie, and to express my deepest sympathy to Senator Currie and the entire family.

Last night, the "Prime Time Investigates" documentary on wardship was aired. I wish to begin by renewing my call that the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act is commenced and that we bring forward the launch of everything that needs to flow from that. The Minister has assured me on several occasions that it will be next June, but that is a long way away for people who are being made wards of court in the meantime and who are labouring under the current regime that presumes them not to have capacity. We need to move to a place of respect and capacity as quickly as possible. This has gone on long enough.

I also ask that we have statements in the House relating to what was shown in the documentary last night that I found really quite appalling, namely, the idea that the State obliges a regime of fiduciary duty taken up by the Courts Service, and the circumstances where the investments under that fiduciary duty have led to the absolute loss of the amount of money that was there for a person's full life. These people were given awards that were supposed to last their lifetimes and in some instances, when they are still in their 40s, that money has expired because of the manner in which it was invested over the past ten years to 15 years. That is not okay. If they had left it in a bank account and not invested it in anything, they would still at least have it.We need a debate or statements in the House and we need to hear the view of the Minister. I call for that to be arranged.