Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely. He is so empowered by that. It is like what again what Mr. Sinnott was saying about míchumasach and empowering people, or disempowering them by putting unnecessary, cruel, casual and capricious obstacles in people's paths for no good reason. I also think Mr. Clarke and Mr. Delaney for all the great work they do, and everybody on the DSG. I was temporarily appointed to the DSG by the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte until I was elected. In the few meetings I attended, it was a revelation to see the amount of advocacy work that is being done by people with lived experience, people with disabilities and disabled people being empowered in this way. I congratulate Mr. Sinnott for the work he did in having to go to the High Court. The State was fighting people with disabilities rather than doing the sensible thing and was using taxpayers' money to pay for senior counsel to argue in an adversarial manner against the right to an independent vote. As the voice of Vision Impairment Ireland, which is an excellent DPO, he gave me a great tutorial in my office about the UNCRPD, where I fit in it specifically, my rights under that and where my scope of action lay as an advocate.

My question consists of two parts. First, apart from the full ratification of the UNCRPD, are there any other legislative initiatives that might coerce the powers that be, that is, the State and its agents, to actually vindicate the rights of persons with disabilities? For want of a better expression, is there any low-hanging fruit there? Second, Mr. Dolan mentioned this being ongoing. I have my view on this but why do the witnesses think the Government is dragging its heels or is reluctant to fully ratify the UN convention and all of its protocols? Why do they think it is reluctant or slow to do that? Everybody I meet in these Houses agrees that we should vindicate the rights of disabled persons, yet as a collective, the Government is hesitant, slow and reluctant to fully ratify the convention and all its protocols.