Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 27 June 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

Update on Disability Issues: Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality

9:00 am

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I was not in this job five years ago. When I started to try to ratify the UN convention two years ago, it was a slow debate. In the end, we had to keep on pushing the issue forward. I accept the Deputy's point on frustration. However, the fact we ratified the UN convention on 19 April will, hopefully, speed up the process. If it were not ratified, we would be in a weak position.

There are issues in wider society about the rights of senior citizens, those in nursing homes and residential centres and people with disabilities in nursing homes who should not be there in the first place. The solutions are complex and, at times, it can be slow to agree on them.

There is only way to do it which is to keep the head down and keep pushing.