Áine Flynn

And in fact, and this is new reports to us, we supervise and we provide support to make sure that all of that works well.

They're nervous about a number of things, which is perhaps contributing to the relatively low take-up that we have in Ireland of EPAs.

If we compare ourselves to the UK jurisdictions, they're hovering around the 20% mark, and it's somewhere around 8%, perhaps 11%, but no more than that here, which, given that EPAs have been around for a generation, we are looking to improve significantly.

But yes, people can have those reservations.

They may think this is only for when I'm old or only, and this is a bit concerning, when capacity becomes a live issue.

Or there may be that reservation that I'm giving away the keys to the farm almost literally at this early stage.

Or sometimes people think, well, I've made my will.

That's quite different.

Will is for when you're deceased.

Or they may think that, well, I don't own very much, so it doesn't apply to me.

Or sometimes, and this is quite embedded as a misconception sometimes,

My next of kin is going to be able to make those decisions for me anyway, which isn't true.

Never true, never has been outside of a legal arrangement.

That's the focus of our coming campaign.

They can, and it might be when capacity becomes a live issue.

All hope certainly isn't lost, and we're very much in favour of people being able to make their EPAs when they can.

But you're quite right, it's going to be a calmer space for doing so if you've no sense of needing it any time soon.

And most people never need them at all, happily, or don't need them for decades.

But part of the focus of our campaign is to think about it before you could possibly...

be in the territory of needing one, although that can happen suddenly, as we know it could be an accident, a medical event, not just a degenerative illness that means you need the attorney to step up.