Balancing the scales of justice

NEXT week, I will begin the task of steering the new Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The bill, on which I and my colleague, Justice Minister Alan Shatter, have led together, is a groundbreaking piece of legislation which proposes a comprehensive reform of the law on capacity in line with the Government’s commitment in our Programme for Government.

This bill, when enacted, will be a key stepping stone towards ratification by Ireland of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).