Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I look forward to hearing from the new Minister for Foreign Affairs but there was a kind of uncommon tediousness in the letters I have been receiving from his predecessor, with no disrespect.

The UN Convention on Disability is very important. A major contribution to that convention was made by Professor Gerard Quinn, who was on the drafting committee. It is a convention associated with Ireland and it reflects very badly on us that it has not been incorporated into law here. The Taoiseach, who has an interest in disability, knows that the Federation on Disability and others are very anxious that legislation concerning the protection of the rights of the disabled be given priority.

It really is not good enough because at this stage, all these conventions are queueing up in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It makes a nonsense of the people who work so hard in this area, like Professor Quinn who has worked for years on bringing this convention into being.

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