Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Question 299: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the manner in which transferral of current wards of court into the new guardianship system will occur through the forthcoming mental capacity Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42667/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Scheme of the Mental Capacity Bill may be accessed on my Department's website at: www.justice.ie. It provides, at Head 42, for the transfer of supervision for existing Wards of Court cases to the Public Guardian. The detailed provisions of the Bill are being drafted by Parliamentary Counsel and publication of the Bill is expected in early 2010.

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the consultation he has had with representatives of wards of court and their families in drafting the forthcoming mental capacity Bill. [42669/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The General Scheme of the Mental Capacity Bill was published in September 2008. The scheme implements recommendations made by the Law Reform Commission in its 2006 Report on Vulnerable Adults and the Law. The Commission's Report followed extensive research and consultation since 2002 with representative organisations, service providers, medical experts and frontline carers. On publication of the General Scheme, written submissions from interested parties were invited. A conference was held in Dublin Castle in February 2009, co-hosted by my Department and the National Disability Authority. Attendees at the conference came from a broad range of groups and organisations including those representing brain injured persons, the elderly and the intellectually disabled. Submissions received and views expressed at the conference have been examined for consideration during drafting of the detailed provisions of the Bill, which is now underway.