Ms Frances Quan Farrant:

There has been a lot of discussion. I had never met my colleagues here today previously. It is wonderful to be here and on the same page. There are some things we need to consider deeply. I hear the voice of Rosemary Kayess, the Australian representative on the United Nations committee on the rights of persons with disabilities, in general comment 7. DPOs must be funded for their core work. It is not right that there is a highly qualified policy officer sitting next to me who is not paid. That is an injustice.

How is Ireland going to go to the committee in Geneva when it comes up for review if it has not fully ratified the UNCRPD or the optional protocol and does not have a mechanism to implement the convention? How is Ireland going to answer to the committee? I have been in Geneva. Those involved with the committee are severe because they are extremely good at what they do - they are very well elected and they have civil society right behind them; that is us, the DPOs, and we inform them. They know, to the bone, exactly what is going on, what questions to ask and states are questioned severely. One must think about that seriously because it is quite a serious process. Recommendations will be brought down upon a state which are then reviewed again. Australia has done this twice. We were brought forward because we were not doing enough after we ratified. I use the word "state" because governments change. I will not say that the UNCRPD does not change because it is a dynamic human rights tool and is reviewed all the time. Ireland has signed; now it should ratify and do it properly. Ireland has the opportunity to lead in disability rights and policy. It has a small population compared with Australia, a completely different geographical situation and is in the EU. It could lead in the EU and then lead and show us a thing or two down under, perhaps.