Useful Links

Citizens Information Board

The Citizens Information Board is the national agency responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice and advocacy on social services, and for the provision of the Money Advice and Budgeting Service.

Department of Health

The Department of Health’s mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Ireland by delivering high quality health services and getting best value from health system resources.

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth's mission is to enhance the lives of children, young people, adults, families and communities, recognising diversity and promoting equality of opportunity.

Health Service Executive (HSE)

The HSE provides all of Ireland’s public health services in hospitals and communities across the country.

MyGovID

MyGovID is a single account that lets you use services from many government departments in Ireland. You need a MyGovID to access many of our services.

Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) is Ireland’s national human rights and equality institution. IHREC is the independent monitoring mechanism for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in Ireland.

Legal Aid Board

The Legal Aid Board is an independent, publicly funded organisation providing civil legal aid and advice, family mediation services, and administering three ad-hoc legal aid schemes connected with criminal matters. You may be entitled to legal aid for some court proceedings under the 2015 Act.

Mental Health Commission

The Mental Health Commission is an independent regulatory body. Its main functions are to promote, encourage and foster high standards and good practices in the delivery of mental health services and to protect the interests of patients who are involuntarily admitted. The Decision Support Service is part of the Mental Health Commission but has a distinct function.

National Disability Authority

The National Disability Authority (NDA) is the independent statutory body that provides information and advice to the Government on policy and practice relevant to the lives of persons with disabilities.

Office of the Wards of Court

The Office of the Wards of Court is part of the Courts Service. The Courts Service is an independent corporate organisation whose role is to manage the courts, support the judiciary and provide a high-quality and professional service to all users of the courts. The Office of the Wards of Court is managing the transition of current adult wards out of wardship.

National Safeguarding Office

If you have a safeguarding concern about an adult at risk, you can contact the HSE’s National Safeguarding Office. In an emergency, where a person is at immediate risk, you should contact the Garda Síochana or Emergency Services on 999 or 112.

Office of The Ombudsman

The Office of the Ombudsman examines complaints from people who feel they have been unfairly treated by a public service provider. They can examine complaints against most organisations that deliver public services.

Mental Health Commission

You can contact the Commission if you have an issue of concern about a mental health service. While the Commission does not have the legal power to investigate individual complaints, they review all information or concerns about services they receive and assess them against relevant regulations and standards.

HIQA

You can contact HIQA if you have a concern about a designated disability service or nursing home. While they do not have the legal power to investigate individual complaints, they review all information or concerns about services they receive and assess them against relevant regulations and standards.

Office of the Confidential Recipient

You may want to report a concern about a vulnerable adult in the care of the HSE or a HSE funded agency. You can do this through the Office of the Confidential Recipient.

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is the leading dementia service provider in Ireland. It provides specific services and supports and advocating for the rights and needs of all people living with dementia and their carers.

Inclusion Ireland

Inclusion Ireland campaigns for changes in services and legislation that will improve the quality of life and participation of people with an intellectual disability in Irish Society. Inclusion Ireland promotes advocacy for people with an intellectual disability and provides an information and advice service.

Irish Advocacy Network

The Irish Advocacy Network provides a peer advocacy service for people with mental health challenges.

Irish Hospice Foundation

The Irish Hospice Foundation's ‘Think Ahead’ programme provides a guide to members of the public to help them discuss and record their preferences in the event of an emergency, serious illness, or death. Information on advance healthcare planning and advance healthcare directives is also available on their website.

National Advocacy Service

The National Advocacy Service (NAS) is an organisation which provides a free and confidential advocacy service to adults with a disability, aged 18 years and over.

Patient Advocacy Service

The Patient Advocacy Service is an independent, free, and confidential service that provides information and support to people who want to make a complaint about an experience they have had in a HSE-funded public acute hospital, HSE-operated or private nursing home.

Safeguarding Ireland

Safeguarding Ireland promotes safeguarding of vulnerable adults to protect them from all forms of abuse by persons, organisations, and institutions and to develop a national plan for promoting their welfare.

Sage Advocacy

Sage Advocacy is a support and advocacy service for vulnerable adults, older people and healthcare patients.

Huntington's Disease Association of Ireland

Huntington’s Disease Association of Ireland (HDAI) is a national voluntary organisation, established by family members, to provide support and information and to advocate for the needs of individuals and families living with Huntington’s disease. HDAI aims to raise awareness and understanding of Huntington’s disease  with health and social care professionals, policy makers and the general public.

Irish Rural Link

Irish Rural Link (IRL) is a national network of organisations and individuals campaigning for sustainable rural development in Ireland and Europe. It is a non-profit organisation that represents over 600 community groups with a combined membership of 25,000. They oversee the roll out of digital training for citizens (including farmers) who live in remote areas or in rural areas where broadband may be an issue.

Disability Federation of Ireland

Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) is a federation of member organisations working with people with disabilities to implement the UN CRPD and ensure their equal participation in society.

National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers

The National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers Supporting People with Intellectual Disability is the national umbrella organisation of voluntary/non-statutory agencies who provide direct services to people with intellectual disability and autism in Ireland on the basis of service arrangements with the HSE.

National Disability Services Association

The National Disability Services Association represents the network of some of the largest national providers of disability services in the community across Ireland. The association provide quality and innovative services to ensure equal access and equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

Citizens Information Board

Law Reform Commission

National Safeguarding Committee

Office of the Wards of Court

Citizens Information Board

Department of Justice

National Office for Human Rights and Equality Policy

The Office is primarily responsible for the strategic oversight of the HSE National Consent Policy and to provide advice and guidance on the implementation of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act (2015) in the HSE.

SAGE

Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 Explainer Video

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is an international treaty which identifies the rights of persons with disabilities as well as the obligations on State parties to promote, protect and ensure those rights.

Hague Convention

The Hague Convention of 13 January 2000 on the International Protection of Adults addresses issues around international protection for vulnerable adults.

Council of Europe

The Council of Europe is a European human rights organisation. It promotes human rights through international conventions and monitors member states’ progress and makes recommendations through independent expert monitoring bodies. Recommendation 99(4) sets out principles concerning the legal protection of incapable adults.

European Convention on Human Rights

The European Convention on Human Rights is an international convention to protect human rights and political freedoms in Europe.

Office of the Public Guardian Scotland

Office of the Public Guardian England and Wales

Office of the Public Advocate, Victoria, Australia

Office of the Public Guardian, New South Wales, Australia

Alberta Health Advocates, Alberta, Canada

Public Guardian and Trustee, British Columbia, Canada