Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To be straight with Deputy Pringle on this issue, I cannot commit to a date because I will need Deputies' help. When the equality (miscellaneous provisions) Bill comes before the House, we will have to deal with a question that has been outstanding for a very long time, namely, the convention's requirement in respect of reasonable accommodation and deprivation of liberty. As the Deputy is aware, the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, and the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, have highlighted the investment over five years of significant money to build community houses rather than congregated settings. This element will have to be dealt with in terms of the reasonable accommodation, as identified by the United Nations.

The equality (miscellaneous provisions) Bill will come before the House early in the new year and I expect we will secure the support of the parties and Deputies to put it through. Once it has been passed and the other two changes have been made, namely, the replacement of section 5 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 and the commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, we will be able to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with competence. While it has taken a long time and it has been a long wait, the end of this saga is in sight.

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