National Advocacy Service (Ireland)

The National Advocacy Service (NAS) is a statutory body in Ireland. It was established in January 2011, fulfilling the legislative obligations as established in the Comhairle Act 2000 and the Citizens Information Act 2007. According to RTÉ News, as well as several textbooks, it is primarily funded by the Citizens Information Board. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission states that "the National Advocacy Service (NAS) provides an independent, confidential and free, representative advocacy service."

History
Its establishment was announced by Minister for Social Protection, Éamon Ó Cuív, in 2010. It was formally launched by the then incumbent Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, in March 2011.

The organisation acts as a representative for individuals who are either patients, or have disabilities. Writing on its remit, RTÉ News has stated that "the publicly-funded National Advocacy Service (NAS) has been providing free, independent and confidential representative advocacy to people with disabilities across the republic." The disability service operates by assigning individuals certified independent representatives who can provide them with advice or support regarding the process of claiming for assistance, i.e., housing or welfare, as well as deal on their behalf regarding matters that impact them. The Patient Advocacy Service has been described by the Irish Examiner as a confidential and free service "hosted by NAS and funded by the Department of Health." The programme responds to inquiries from residents of hospitals, public nursing homes, and private nursing homes.

The Patient Advocacy Service, introduced in November 2019 by then Minister for Health, Simon Harris, was designed to provide assistance to patients who choose to file a grievance regarding the care they have received in a public hospital. Harris described it as a welcome addition to the National Advocacy Service, whilst addressing the National Patient Safety Conference that year. It was funded by the Department of Health, and was independent of the HSE. Harris opined that "this service will offer patients a helping hand when they are unhappy with the care they receive. It is free, independent and run by specially trained patient advocates. I am confident it will offer a responsive, compassionate and supportive service to people when they are unhappy with their care."

Following the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland, individuals with disabilities endured traumatic and life-altering circumstances, such as social isolation, anxiety, and depression, according to two reports published in 2021 by the NAS, under the auspices of both the Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities and the Patient Advocacy Service, respectively. In January 2024, its board chairperson, Rosemary Smyth, stated that several individuals with disabilities were either not permitted to handle their own funds in any way or were only receiving a stipend, which restricted their autonomy and options. This was allegedly in contravention of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which took effect in April 2023. According to the 2023 Annual Report by the National Advocacy Service, published in early 2024, “people can face challenges with banking and digital exclusion, may experience control of their finances by others and even financial abuse.” According to the report, as of 2023, there were 250 individuals on the advocacy waiting list for assistance with housing, healthcare, and other concerns; this figure represents a 55% growth compared to the previous year. The Patient Advocacy Service also reported a 54% increase in requests for support.

The National Advocacy Service suggested in May 2024 that the hasty choice to declare over 200 individuals as wards of court in early 2023, may have been motivated by apprehension regarding the implementation of assisted decision-making legislation. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which commenced in 2023, replaced the Lunacy Act 1871, and removed the ward of court system.

In June 2024, SIPTU members who were employed by the National Advocacy Service declared that they would initiate industrial action. The union declared that the strike would persist until an amicable solution to the dispute regarding the compensation and working conditions of the government-funded body was reached. The National Advocacy Service had indicated that the strike action may result in service disruptions in the upcoming weeks. The NAS stated that the Citizens Information Board, the source of funding for the NAS, was responsible for setting the organization's wages, itself being funded by the Department of Social Protection. Management had been accused by the union of overlooking a Labour Court proposal regarding staff compensation. SIPTU's Deputy General Secretary, John King, asserted that the Department of Social Protection had permitted the scenario to develop.