Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On 30 March 2007, Ireland signed but did not ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The convention has since been ratified by 156 countries but Ireland's ratification remains outstanding. The Government's contention that archaic legislation prevents Ireland from ratifying the most important human rights treaty of the 21st century is an affront to people with disabilities, who have been told to wait by successive Governments.

Even though we have failed to ratify the treaty, we have obligations under it as a result of the overall EU ratification process which has happened in the meantime. Unfortunately, we have blatantly fallen down on these commitments as a result of our EU membership. Furthermore, a commitment was given at the UN Assembly by Ireland's permanent representative by way of a letter dated 13 April 2012. It was part of our successful campaign for election to the UN Council on Human Rights. This increases the need for immediate action on the matter. Not enacting the outstanding legislation allows a loophole that is letting the Government off the hook in dealing with various inadequacies in the provision of necessary services for people with disabilities. In 2012 the Government effectively tried to scrap personal assistants and only reversed the decision when people with disabilities took to the streets. I am asking the Taoiseach to ensure that in the remaining lifetime of the Government he brings forward the required legislation to enable ratification of the disability rights treaty which is urgently required. It is included in the programme for Government under the heading of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill. We have renegued on this commitment by failing to ratify the treaty. It is a race against time to introduce the necessary legislation to ratify it. Will the Taoiseach deal with the issue as a matter of urgency?

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