Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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280. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of enduring power of attorney applications completed by the Decision Support Service; if issues raised by the Law Society on the service have been resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31144/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for their question regarding the Decision Support Service (DSS) and Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs).

Ensuring the EPA application process is as user-centric and accessible as possible is a priority for me. EPAs are a vital advance planning tool that enable adults to plan ahead for a time when they may have diminished decision-making capacity, ensuring that a person’s wishes are known and respected.

The number of EPAs registered by the DSS has seen a noticeable increase in the past number of months, particularly in the first five months of 2025. Currently, over 2,700 EPAs have been registered by the DSS since commencement of their service in April 2023 to the end of May 2025, with a further 2,300 submitted for review and registration by the DSS. Encouragingly, of the 2,700 registered EPAs, almost half (1,253) have been completed in 2025, which shows an increased awareness and uptake by the public, and improved efficiency in the application process.

The DSS publishes up-to-date statistics on the number of registered decision support arrangements, along other metrics, every month on their website which can be accessed at .

On foot of engagement with a range of stakeholders, including the Law Society of Ireland, the DSS introduced a new Accessibility Policy in July last year. This policy seeks to enable as many people as possible to submit more timely digital applications. It is important to note that there remains a facility for manual applications to be submitted by those who cannot, for a variety of reasons, utilise the online application system. The Accessibility Policy sets out that the DSS will ensure that individuals who are unable to utilize the online portal are facilitated in making an EPA application manually. This policy, which includes a dedicated EPA helpdesk service to ensure that individuals who require additional assistance in completing an online EPA application are supported in doing so, together with helpful instructional videos and other guidance material provided on the DSS website, has seen the number of registered EPAs increase, and the timeframe for registration decrease.

My Department is aware of the views expressed by the Law Society of Ireland in respect of the EPA application process, and has engaged with both the Law Society of Ireland and DSS. I am also aware that there has been bilateral engagement between the Law Society and the DSS in respect of the EPA process. Both my Department and the DSS remain committed to ensuring that there is a shared understanding of the application process, of the role of the legal profession, and, ultimately to ensuring that the EPA application process is accessible and fit for purpose.