Kilkenny public invited to advance planning open evening

The Director of a State service established in 2023 to support adults who may require help, now or in the future, to exercise their right to make decisions about their personal welfare, property, or affairs, is calling on people across Kilkenny to get in touch and start their applications without delay. 

Almost 20,000 people across the country have opened an account with the Decision Support Service (DSS), a new service in the Mental Health Commission established under the groundbreaking Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. 

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In partnership with the HSE Southeast Safeguarding Team and Human Rights and Equality Team the DSS is coming to the Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny on Thursday (March 4) and Friday (March 5). This event is to introduce more people, and relevant professionals, to the new service that is fast gathering popularity amongst adults, young and old, who are keen to ensure their will and preferences are protected now and into the future. 

Over the course of the two-day event, the DSS will meet with members of the public to support them to set up a DSS account and to start their own individual decision support or advance planning arrangement.  

In total, there has been over 7,800 registered arrangements made by the public with the DSS, with more than 5,000 of those arrangements being an Enduring Power of Attorney - a legal arrangement that can be set up by a person to allow someone they know and trust to look after their property and financial affairs, and/or personal welfare decisions, if they lose the capacity to make those decisions in the future. 

“We are very encouraged to see the uptake in EPAs, which cost €30 to register with us,” said the Director of the Decision Support Service, Áine Flynn.

“Apart from the 5,400 that are now registered on our system, there are a further 2,800 working their way through the submission and registration process, allowing for statutory notice periods and reviews by our team of these important legal instruments. 

“When you consider the heightened interest - and that under previous legislation somewhere between just 8% of Irish adults had made an EPA - applications will likely only increase. This is why we established an EPA ‘one-stop-shop’ helpdesk, where the DSS team deal exclusively with the public - and legal professionals if they are involved - in the making and registration of EPAs. Ultimately, we hope that this support will accelerate timelines from commencement of the application to registration.” 

The EPA helpdesk, together with the introduction in July 2024 of an accessibility policy - which supports those persons who are not able to use the DSS online portal by facilitating access to appropriate supports - has contributed to a 10% uplift in digitally submitted applications, and a very limited demand for manual applications, which had been a significant drain on resources. 

The Chief Executive of the Mental Health Commission, John Farrelly, said that the Mental Health Commission had worked hard to put the DSS in place and was especially glad that more and more people are using its services to plan ahead. 

“We have made every effort over the past number of years to engage proactively and positively with all stakeholders to ensure we can implement this modern law into a modern and progressive society and our lines of communication remain open. 

“Ultimately, however, we are here for the ordinary person, be it someone putting a decision support arrangement in place, or someone looking to plan ahead at whatever stage of life they find themselves at. The DSS was established under reforming legislation, and evidence that more and more people are using our services is proof that they are seeing the benefits of the Act - and a service - that was always intended to promote the rights and interests of the individual.”  

The roadshow will begin with an open information evening at 6pm at the Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny, followed the following morning by individual and pre-arranged meetings with legal professionals from 9.30am-10.30am. The second day will finish with individual and pre-arranged meetings with members of the public from 10.30am to 5.30pm. Those keen to make an appointment should contact the DSS team by Freephone (01) 211 9750 and ask for the EPA helpdesk; or email at EPAhelpdesk@decisionsupportservice.ie click on the link Book Now.