Decision-Making Assistance Agreement

A decision-making assistance agreement in Ireland lets you appoint a trusted person to help you access information and make and express your own decisions, while you remain in control. It was introduced by the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. A service of this kind typically includes a consultation and a properly drafted agreement that meets the requirements of the Act and the Decision Support Service, covering the relevant decisions and the assistant’s role.

The price shown is the full professional fee for the service as described, and any third-party or State fees are listed separately where they apply. If your matter needs more than this service covers, a solicitor would explain the options before any further work is done.

What’s included

• A consultation
• A properly drafted decision-making assistance agreement
• Coverage of the relevant decisions and the assistant’s role
• Self-complete template with guidance notes — you fill it in yourself
• Documents tailored to Irish law and your circumstances, delivered by email
• A written summary of the key points and anything you need to do afterwards

Who this is for

• People beginning to find some decisions difficult
• Families wanting to support a relative
• People planning ahead
• People with fluctuating capacity

How it works

1. Find a solicitor through the Law Society of Ireland’s Find a Solicitor directory and send them the basic details and any existing documents or correspondence.
2. Complete a short questionnaire about your circumstances.
3. A solicitor would then draft the agreement.
4. The completed work is delivered to you by email, with plain-English notes on what to do next.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a decision-making assistance agreement cost?

This page is a free guide — nothing on it is for sale. Solicitors set their own fees for this work and must give you a written costs estimate (a section 150 letter) before starting. Get quotes through the Law Society of Ireland’s Find a Solicitor directory.

Does the decision-making assistant make decisions for me?

No. The assistant helps you get information and make and express your own decisions.

How is it different from co-decision-making?

With co-decision-making, certain decisions are made jointly. With an assistance agreement, you make the decisions yourself.

For more on capacity and planning ahead, see our Capacity & Decision Support in Ireland guide.

If you would like to be told when solicitor services are available again on this site, you can join our no-fee waiting list. To instruct a solicitor now, use the Law Society of Ireland’s Find a Solicitor directory.