Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015

Functions of Director

95. (1) The Director shall have, in addition to the functions assigned to him or her by any other provision of this Act, the following functions:

(a) to promote public awareness of this Act and matters (including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities done at New York on 13 December 2006) relating to the exercise of their capacity by persons who require or may shortly require assistance in exercising their capacity;

(b) to promote public confidence in the process of dealing with matters which affect persons who require or may shortly require assistance in exercising their capacity;

(c) to provide information to relevant persons in relation to their options under this Act for exercising their capacity;

(d) to provide information to decision-making assistants, co-decision-makers, decision-making representatives, designated healthcare representatives and attorneys in relation to the performance of their functions under this Act;

(e) to supervise, in accordance with the provisions of this Act, compliance by decision-making assistants, co-decision-makers, decision-making representatives and attorneys in the performance of their functions under this Act;

(f) to provide information in relation to the management of property and financial affairs to relevant persons and to decision-making assistants, co-decision-makers, decision-making representatives and attorneys;

(g) to provide information and guidance to organisations and bodies in the State in relation to their interaction with relevant persons;

(h) to provide information and guidance to organisations and bodies in the State in relation to their interaction with decision-making assistants, co-decision-makers, decision-making representatives, attorneys and designated healthcare representatives;

(i) to identify and make recommendations for change of practices in organisations and bodies in which the practices may prevent a relevant person from exercising his or her capacity under this Act;

(j) to establish a website on the internet or provide, or arrange for the provision of, other electronic means by which to disseminate information to members of the public relevant to the performance of the Director’s functions and which will, in the opinion of the Director, assist members of the public to understand the operation of this Act and the Director’s role in relation thereto;

(k) to make recommendations to the Minister on any matter relating to the operation of this Act.

(2) The Director shall have all such powers as are necessary or expedient for, or incidental to, the performance of his or her functions.

(3) The Director, with the consent of the Minister, may, and if directed by the Minister to do so and in accordance with the terms of the direction, shall prescribe by regulations the fees to be paid to him or her and when they fall due in respect of—

(a) the performance of functions,

(b) the provision of services, and

(c) the provision of information and guidance,

by him or her under the Act.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3), the Director’s power under that subsection to prescribe fees includes the power to provide for exemptions from the payment of fees, in different circumstances or classes of circumstances or in different cases or classes of cases.

(5) In carrying out his or her functions, the Director may consult with any person who has any functions in relation to the care or treatment of a relevant person.