Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

A great deal of work is going on in terms of the ratification of the UNCRPD. I meet officials from the Departments of Health and Justice and Equality every Monday to drive this agenda. Up to now, nobody took an interest in this issue at all. However, I do accept that the delays are frustrating. The two delays relate to the deprivation of liberty and the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. Much work has been done and the Department of Health is due to publish revised heads in that regard towards the end of August.

Amendments to disability legislation on the deprivation of liberty will be published after the summer break. We are moving on this issue. We have had interviews in recent weeks for a director and project manager for the decision support service, DSS, office which will help to drive the ratification of the UN convention.

I reject the criticism made in terms of other countries ratifying the convention. Many countries ratified the UNCRPD but some of them still chain disabled adults to heaters and bars in institutions. We are doing the opposite. We are trying to put the services in place. This year we are investing €1.69 billion in the services, an increase of €96 million between residential services, day services, respite residential support, personal assistant service hours, home support services and moving people from institutions. We have a good record and I want to ratify the UN convention and I intend to do so very quickly.

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