Dear colleague,

As you know, there are ongoing challenges with the operation of the process and procedures that apply to the making of an Enduring Power of Attorney under the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015. 

As part of a statutory review of the effectiveness of the Decision Support Service (DSS) the legal profession has been invited to participate in a survey with a deadline of 6pm on Friday 14 February. 

If you have had any interaction with the DSS in relation to their functions such as the Enduring Power of Attorney process, I urge you to take this important opportunity to share your experience with the Mental Health Commission (MHC) through this survey and help inform recommendations for improvements:

• Complete the survey by 6pm on 14 February

There is a tight deadline for submitting responses to this online survey so please tell your colleagues about it, so we can ensure the MHC receives as many first-hand insights from the legal sector as possible. 

The background to this is that an organisation called Governance Ireland has been engaged by the Board of the MHC to conduct a review of the DSS and prepare a report which will be submitted by the MHC to the Minister for Health and the Minister for Children, Disability, and Equality in April 2025. 

The Law Society will continue to press for changes to be introduced so any person who wants to put an Enduring Power of Attorney in place can do so without unreasonable obstacles being placed in their way. 

It is important that you take a few minutes to share your experiences by responding to this survey. A link to the survey can be found here:

• Complete the survey by 6pm on 14 February