Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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519. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of sections of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 that remain to be implemented; the reason that all parts of the Act have not been enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28125/22]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (the 2015 Act) is an important piece of legislation that represents significant legal reform. It changes the existing law on capacity from the status approach of the wardship system to a flexible functional approach, whereby capacity is assessed on an issue and time-specific basis.  

The Act will abolish the wards of court system for adults by repealing the Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act 1871. Adults currently in wardship will transition to the new decision-making support arrangements on a phased basis over 3 years from the date of commencement. 

Amendments are required to the 2015 Act before full commencement can take place.  Work has been ongoing on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill, which was published on 30 May this year and which will be introduced to the Houses on June 1st. Following the passage of this amending legislation, I will be in a position to commence the appropriate remaining sections of the 2015 Act, and bring the Decision Support Service, which will operate the progressive provisions of the new law, into full operation.

For the Deputy's information, the table below outlines the current commencement status of sections of the 2015, pending the delivery of amending legislation.