Living Will Ireland: Advance Healthcare Directive Guide (2026)
If you search “living will Ireland,” you are usually trying to answer one urgent question: who decides your medical care if you can’t? In Ireland, this is handled through an Advance Healthcare Directive (AHD) rather than a standard will.
What is a living will in Ireland?
In plain language, a living will is a document setting out treatment preferences for a future time when you may lack capacity to speak for yourself. In Ireland, the legal framework is the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (as commenced), and the practical term used is Advance Healthcare Directive.
What it can do
- Record treatment refusals in specified scenarios
- Record your values and care preferences
- Name a designated healthcare representative
What it cannot do
- It does not distribute your property after death
- It is not a replacement for a financial will
- It does not remove the need for clear family communication
Living will vs ordinary will (quick comparison)
Living will / AHD: medical decisions while alive but lacking capacity.
Ordinary will: assets, guardianship wishes, and estate distribution after death.
Why this matters for Irish families
Without clear instructions, families may face uncertainty, stress, and conflict in already difficult circumstances. Having both documents in place creates clarity: one for healthcare decisions, one for estate planning.
How to put a proper plan in place
- Create your ordinary will so your estate wishes are clear.
- Prepare an Advance Healthcare Directive for treatment choices.
- Tell your key people where both documents are stored.
- Review when health, family, or life circumstances change.
If you still need your ordinary will sorted, start with our practical guide to making an Irish will online and read how to make a will in Ireland.
This article is general information, not legal advice.
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