Éamon Ó Cuív presses for Assisted Decision-Making Bill publication

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív raised outstanding queries on the Wildlife Amendment Act and pressed for the publication of the Assisted Decision-Making Capacity Amendment Bill, calling it long overdue. He received a commitment that the Assisted Decision-Making Capacity Bill will be published within two weeks and aims to be passed by the end of the session.

Assisted Decision-Making Bill commitment

The minister committed that the Assisted Decision-Making Capacity Bill will be published in the next two weeks and indicated an expectation that it will be passed by the end of this session with the cooperation of both houses. Éamon Ó Cuív had asked for assurance that the bill would be published and characterised it as very, very important and way long overdue.

Wildlife Amendment Act status

Éamon Ó Cuív also asked about the Wildlife Amendment Act or Bill, which had been through the dial in the previous dial and was to be reintroduced. He was told the government will endeavour to get the Wildlife Amendment Act back on the order paper - it "fell with the last all" but it is ready to go and there is an intention to try to get it through.

Previous correspondence and response

Éamon Ó Cuív said he had been promised a reply on the Wildlife matter and had not received it. He received an assurance that they would attempt to provide the reply and to restore the Wildlife Amendment Act to the order paper for further progress.

Next steps and parliamentary timetable

The immediate next steps described in the exchange are publication of the Assisted Decision-Making Capacity Bill within two weeks and efforts to return the Wildlife Amendment Act to the order paper. Both measures were framed as requiring cooperation within the parliamentary timetable and between both houses to secure passage.