Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I wish to point something out to the Minister of State. I am sure he is aware of it because he has a good track record on it. Ireland has been pretty poor on equality for people with disabilities. Currently, 156 countries have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Ireland signed it almost nine years ago but never came good on it. Even Ireland's UN representative wrote to the UN in April 2012 promising to ratify the convention.

The people listening to this debate want to know when this will come into effect because the Disability Act is flagrantly breached all the time. People with disabilities are being left behind. The convention must be signed and ratified to ensure equality for people with disabilities.

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