Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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1248. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the decision support service; when it will be fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19977/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Director of the Decision Support Service (DSS) was appointed in 2017 and has been preparing, along with her staff, for the establishment of the DSS when the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (the 2015 Act) is commenced in June 2022. Funding of €5.8 million was secured for the DSS in 2021 to ensure that it can commit to all of the preparations necessary for opening for business, including building the required ICT infrastructure; hiring staff and panel members; and putting the administrative processes in place to underpin the support options that will be available for people with capacity difficulties once the legislation has been commenced.

The DSS participates in the High-Level Inter-Departmental Steering Group, chaired by my Department, that is preparing for the DSS to become operational. There are representatives from relevant sectors on the group including from the Department of Health, the Department of Justice, the Courts Service, and the HSE as well as the DSS. They meet monthly to resolve issues and maintain momentum towards commencement of the 2015 Act in June 2022, following which the DSS will open for business.