Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2025
669. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the annual budget allocation to the Decision Support Service; the number of staff employed each year; and the amount that was spent on the garden exhibit at the Bloom Festival. [31862/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for their question regarding the Decision Support Service (DSS).
The DSS was established under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, 2015 which commenced in April 2023. The DSS began carrying out its statutory functions upon commencement of the Act, however there was a period in advance of this during which the organisation was preparing for operationalisation, including the establishment of I.T. systems.
To facilitate the performance of its duties my Department has provided the DSS with the below allocations for the years 2021-2025.
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
5.8m |
7.3m |
8.3m |
9.075m |
10.438m |
In the performance of its duties, the DSS is responsible for the operation of many of the functions under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. These functions include promoting awareness and providing information about the Act, regulating and registering decision support arrangements, supervising the actions of decision supporters, maintaining a panel of suitable persons who act as decision-making representatives, special visitors and general visitors and investigating complaints regarding the activities of decision supporters.
The staff employed each year are as follows:
|
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025(Q1) |
|
1 |
1 |
9 |
9 |
18 |
50 |
94 |
117 |
115 |
These figures include staff in the Mental Health Commission corporate spine, who support the functions of the Decision Support Service and the Mental Health Commission and whose costs are split jointly between my Department and the Department of Health. These figures also include additional staff acquired in July 2024 to establish a dedicated EPA helpdesk which has become a key feature of the service.
All of this has helped to fund, staff, and promote a multi-year establishment project as well as to design and build a new public-facing State service for all adults in the State. The DSS ultimately exists to promote the rights and interests of adults who may need support with decision-making through a framework that emphasises the will and preference of each individual.
The fee for the show garden at Bloom was €50,000 plus VAT, which was the standard fee for a medium show garden as instructed by Bord Bia, who run the Bloom festival. The purpose of the 'Support Garden', which was designed by Joe Eustace, was to raise awareness, promote, and remind all Irish adults of the fundamental importance of planning ahead in all aspects of life. DSS staff handed out at least 3,000 leaflets which contained information about advance planning and contact details for their dedicated EPA helpdesk, and spoke to thousands more over the five days of the festival about the importance of planning ahead. The plants and furniture have been donated to two community-based initiatives.
