Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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373. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when it is intended to provide information to the general public on the assisted decision-making legislation, in line with the State commitment to a clear and transparent process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23700/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Decision Support Service (DSS) is the organisation charged with operating the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (the 2015 Act), which includes to promote public awareness of the Act.

Section 95 of the 2015 Act specifically mandates the Director of the DSS to promote awareness of the 2015 Act and to promote public confidence in the Act. The DSS is also obliged to provide information regarding the various decision support options to the public, which includes relevant persons and decision supporters alike.

As part of commencement the DSS ran the "My Decisions, My Rights" campaign, which brought together nine champions from across Irish society to highlight the main ethos and message of this new state service. The campaign featured across television; national, regional and local print and online media; national and regional radio; social media; as well as physical advertisements on billboards and buses throughout the country. It has been shortlisted for the 2024 Awards for Excellence in Public Relations in the category ‘Best Public Information Campaign’.

Additionally and since commencement, as part of the requirement to promote the 2015 Act, the Director of the DSS has engaged with a large number of stakeholders and attended a wide range of public events, ensuring greater public awareness on the existence and purpose of the Act.

Additionally, the DSS has also held public events to promote a greater take up of Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) in Irish society, in particular encouraging people to consider the registration of EPAs at a younger age, while they still have capacity to do so. Historically, Irish citizens have tended to create EPAs at a more advanced age, and the DSS are trying to address this issue through greater public awareness regarding the benefits and purpose of EPAs.

More information on the operation of the Act is available on the Decision Support Service Website:

decisionsupportservice.ie/

My Department will continue to support the DSS in discharging its statutory function in raising awareness around the operation of the new system of rights based decision supports.