Consultation
7.Following the production of the feasibility report, officials undertook pre-consultation with stakeholder organisations to ensure that there was the broadest possible involvement at this stage of the policy development and legislative processes prior to formal public consultation. This culminated in the production of a detailed consultation document including an illustrative draft Bill and a 14 week formal consultation was launched on 1 October 2009 and ran until 7 January 2010. As part of the consultation process, nine public events were held across Northern Ireland in November 2009. Following the formal consultation officials continued to meet with and brief key stakeholders on the development of the policy.
8.The vast majority of responses were in favour of the model suggested, which was drawn up in light of best practice locally, in neighbouring jurisdictions and internationally. The Commissioner for Older People Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, therefore, implements the main features of the model proposed.
