Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

One can make the cake but one cannot eat it, which is the issue here. This is why I asked Ms Vidal to begin with a comment on this Bill, by asking her whether that optional protocol has to come in. There are major issues there because as we discuss a mental health Act here, the simple act of a county council putting down footpaths will mean that they will have to be wheelchair accessible, because it is rights-based. If we were to strengthen this legislation now, would she be mentioning this aspect? The minute that this Bill is passed and enacted, does the optional protocol have to be signed and adopted?