Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith lion ceist a chur faoin UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was signed by the State in 2007. More than 150 states have now ratified the convention. That this State has not done so is nothing short of a national disgrace. The primary purpose of the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016 is to provide for ratification of the UN convention. There is a concern that the Department of Justice and Equality is dragging its heels and unnecessarily delaying the process by failing to bring forward amendments for Committee Stage.

This is an issue of basic and fundamental rights. Joanne O'Riordan, who champions the rights of disabled citizens, summed up their desire as follows:

I want to be a contributor and ... to be treated like a full equal member of my community ... I will not allow this Government or any other people to treat me like a second class citizen.

Ms O'Riordan is correct. It is evident that the Government has failed her and many more disabled citizens. While I understand the need to put in place the necessary legislation to facilitate full compliance with the UN convention, this process has been going on for ten years. When will the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016 be passed and when can we expect the State to ratify the UN convention?

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