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	New legislation on assisted decision-making will affect thousands of people with disabilities</h2>
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	A 140-year-old law that labels people with intellectual disabilities as &ldquo;lunatics&rdquo; is finally being replaced.</p>
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	Existing legislation governing mental capacity for vulnerable adults in Ireland is based on the Regulation of Lunacy (Ireland) Act 1871. This provides for a ward-of-court system, under which the court makes all key decisions over the course of a person&rsquo;s life.</p>
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	The new Assisted Decision-making (Capacity) Bill will introduce a new legal framework to support vulnerable people in making decisions so they can better manage their personal welfare, property and financial affairs.</p>
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	It will affect anyone with &ldquo;impaired decision-making ability&rdquo;, such as people with intellectual disabilities, those suffering from dementia or mental illness, and those with acquired brain injuries.</p>
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	Support groups have welcomed the bill as a &ldquo;landmark moment&rdquo; in the process of disability law reform in Ireland.</p>
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	Minister of State with responsibility for disability Kathleen Lynch said many vulnerable people would be able to use informal arrangements rather than more formal agreements. &ldquo;In all cases, the person&rsquo;s will and preferences will have to be centre stage,&rdquo; she said.</p>
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	Prof Ger Quinn of NUI Galway&rsquo;s Centre for Disability Law and Policy welcomed the legislation which, he said, moved beyond traditional guardianship to enable people to take charge of their own lives.</p>
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	A working group of civil society organisations also broadly welcomed the move.</p>
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	<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Amnesty%20International&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Amnesty International</a>&nbsp;Ireland &ndash; a member of the working group &ndash; said it hoped it would pave the way for the Government to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.<br />
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	Carl O&#39;Brien<br />
	<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/law-labelling-disabled-as-lunatics-to-be-replaced-1.1466778">http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/law-labelling-disabled-as-lunatics-to-be-replaced-1.1466778</a></p>
