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

The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, has been a very strong advocate for people with disabilities and all that comes with that. I have probably asked him this question numerous times since I have been elected, namely, when will the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, take place? Since the Government came into office more than a year ago it said the ratification of the convention would be advocated. Fourteen months later the convention has still not been ratified. I find that extraordinary. This week we have a raft of Bills being pushed through the House. We have a Bill about the Rugby World Cup, which is very important. I am a big rugby fan myself. That is one Bill that is being pushed through but 11 years after it was introduced, the UNCRPD has still not been ratified. It is extraordinary that 156 countries have ratified the convention and Ireland is not one of them.

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