Advocacy , Assisted Decision-Making Supports & UN Convention
‘at a glance’
Key commitments for people with intellectual disabilities in #GE16
The Manifestos are quite disappointing in relation Assisted Decision-Making supports. Only Fine Gael acknowledges the need
for action in relation to the Decision Support Service saying that they will establish the service to replace the Wards of Court
Office and manage capacity matters. The Fine Gael manifesto also commits to full implementation of the Act, which is
welcome as there is a swathe of partially commenced disability-related Acts. People Before Profit reference Advance
Healthcare Directives which is a provision of the Assisted Decision-Making Act.
The silence of other parties in relation to the Act is disappointing, but does not necessarily mean that they would delay
commencement of the Act. All parties with the exception of Sinn Féin commit to the ratification of the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This ratification will not occur without the Assisted Decision Making Act
being commenced. While the majority of parties commit to ratification, the Labour Party commit to this within a year and
People Before Profit commit to ratifying it without change (which we have taken to mean declaration or reservation).
There is disappointment too in relation to advocacy services with no political party committing to Inclusion Ireland’s asks for
the full commencement of the Citizens Information Act 2007 which would give advocates a statutory footing. Nor is there any
mention of a ‘National Advocacy Authority’ which Inclusion Ireland has consistently sought in our manifesto and our recent
submission to the Joint-Oireachtas Committee on Health & Children.
Fine Gael commit to the establishment of a patient advocacy service. This is a welcome measure and one that had been
flagged by Minister for Health Leo Varadkar in November 2015. Inclusion Ireland would be concerned that any such service
would be narrow and medical in nature. We will await further details before analysing whether the scope is broad enough to
meet the needs we set out in our submissions. People Before Profit commit to access to trained advocates and the systematic
use of Advance Health Directives will be introduced.
No commitment
to Advocacy
Supports
No Commitment
to ADM Supports
Ratify the UN
Convention on
the Rights of
Persons with
Disabilities
Establish independent No
patient advocacy
commitment
service.
to Advocacy
Supports
Fully implement the
ADM Act, including
advanced healthcare
No
directives & the
Commitment
establishment of a
to ADM
Decision Support
Supports
Service to replace the
Wards of Court Office
& manage capacity
matters.
No commitment to
Advocacy Supports
Remain committed to
ratification of the UN
Convention on the
Rights of Persons with
Disabilities
Sign the UN
Convention on the
Rights of Persons
with Disabilities
into law within the
first year of
Government
Ratify the UN
Convention
on the Rights
of Persons
with
Disabilities
No Commitment to
ADM Supports
Access to trained
advocates & the
systematic use of
Advance Health
Directives
introduced.
Ensure the right of
people
with disabilities to
live as an
autonomous adult
Immediately ratify
The United Nations
Convention on the
Rights of People
with Disabilities ,
without change &
alter all relevant
legislation in
accordance with the
UNCRPD
No
commitment
to Advocacy
Supports
No
Commitment
to ADM
Supports
Ratify the UN
Convention
on the Rights
of Persons
with
Disabilities
Establish a
Patient
Advocacy
service
No
Commitment
to ADM
Supports
No
Commitment
to Ratification
of the UN
Convention on
the Rights of
Persons with
Disabilities
Glossary of Terms
ADM
UNCRPD
Assisted Decision-Making
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
New
legislation on
patient
advocacy
No
Commitment
to ADM
Supports
Enact the UN
Convention on
the Rights of
Persons with
Disabilities as a
priority