One in 20 could use new service to replace current wards of court system

The Mental Health Commission said an estimated 7,408 individuals are expected to access the Decision Support Service (DSS) in its first year of service, rising to 7,942 in 2026. Photo: RollingNews.ie

More than 5,500 may use the new service to support people to make decisions about their personal welfare, property, and affairs in the first six months of its operation, and one-in-20 of the population may use it in the course of their lifetime.

The projections about the Decision Support Service (DSS), due to become operational next year and which will ultimately take over from the current wards of court system, are included in a new forecast report published today by the Mental Health Commission (MHC).