Kildare public invited to advance planning open day

Kildare public invited to advance planning open day

Opportunities to arrange one-to-one appointments to start your EPA

The Director of a State service established in 2023 to support adults who may require help, now or in the future, to exercise their right to make decisions about their personal welfare, property, or affairs, is calling on people across Kildare to get in touch and start their applications without delay. The “Putting Your House in Order” event is part of a regional roadshow, organised by Age Friendly Ireland,  the Irish Hospice Foundation and Citizens Information. 

Putting your House in Order is a free event that aims to explain, in simple terms, enduring powers of attorney (EPAs), advance healthcare directives, and how to make a will. In addition, at the event the Decision Support Service will demonstrate the practical steps in how to create an EPA.

In total, there has been over 4,000 registered arrangements made by the public with the DSS, with almost 65% of all arrangements made for EPAs - a legal arrangement that can be set up by a person to allow someone they know and trust to look after their property and financial affairs, and/or personal welfare decisions, if they lose the capacity to make those decisions in the future. 

“We are very encouraged to see the uptake in EPAs, which cost €30 to register with us,” said the Director of the Decision Support Service, Áine Flynn. “When you consider a recent survey, we conducted highlighted just 8% of adults have an EPA despite our sample survey at the Bloom festival this year showcasing 90% of people think more adults should plan ahead - applications will likely only increase. This is why we recently established an EPA ‘one-stop-shop’ helpdesk, where members of staff deal exclusively with the public - and legal professionals if they are involved - in the making and registration of EPAs. Ultimately, we hope that this support will accelerate timelines from commencement of the application to registration.”

Aine Flynn also said; “At these events, we are effectively bringing the helpdesk on the road. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Irish Hospice Foundation, Age Friendly Ireland and Citizens Information and the Decision Support Service will be participating in more regional events like this.”

Event Details: 

When: Thursday, 26 June 2025

Talks from 10:30-1:00 pm. One-to-one support 1:30-4:30 pm.

Where: St. Conleth’s Community College, Newbridge, W12 C43

To book your spot: 

• Sign up through this link: Putting Your House in Order Event Sign Up
• By Phone: 0818 07 8300
• In person: Citizens Information, Cutlery Road

What you need to think about and bring with you 

Our information services and registration teams will be on hand to show applicants how to register with the DSS online and to start your own individual EPA application. 

Attendees must bring along their MyGovID login details or, if you do not have a verified MyGovID account, our teams can verify your identity manually. Please bring the following required support documents: 

• One photo ID (current and in date)
• Two proofs of address (dated within the last six months) 

Should you require further information on which support documents to bring to verify your identity manually, our Identity Verification form on our website lists accepted documents and the criteria these documents must meet. 

In preparation for starting your own EPA application, you will also need to consider some important questions and have some information with you on the day. Please click on the link Checklist to make you EPA ready. 

You are welcome to bring your own laptop if you wish and our teams will show you how to access the MyDSS portal on your own device.