Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 April 2025
245. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will provide details of the expenditure incurred, broken down by year, on developing social media videos on topics relating to the services provided by the Decision Support Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18052/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe DSS has responsibility for the operation of many of the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, 2015.
In that regard one of the key statutory functions of the DSS is to promote public awareness and public confidence in relation to the Act and related matters, highlighting the benefits and importance of advance planning, and encouraging adults to plan for a time when they may lack the capacity to make certain decisions for themselves. This includes ensuring that the public is provided with accessible information across multiple media channels about the provisions of the Act.
Across four years - since 2021 to the end of 2024 - the DSS has produced videos that have helped to inform and educate both the public, and legal, financial, healthcare and other professionals on various matters relating to the 2015 Act, such as Codes of Practices, and the new decision-support arrangements available.
The expenditure incurred in developing these videos across the years requested is provided in tabular form below:
|
2021 |
€4,256.25 |
|
2022 |
€8,455.75 |
|
2023 |
€13,847.00 |
|
2024 |
€8,200.37 |
I encourage adults seeking to make a decision support arrangement, and professionals with a role to play in the operation of the Act, to visit the DSS website at decisionsupportservice.ie and engage with the many informational resources available. Additionally, the DSS can be contacted directly by phone at (01) 211 9750 or by email at queries@decisionsupportservice.ie for further information.
