Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As my colleagues have outlined, the Bill seeks to extend the remit of the Employment Equality Act and the Equal Status Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disadvantaged socioeconomic or social background. While both laws already protect against discrimination on nine grounds, including disability, and the European Union's equal treatment directives require members states to introduce equality legislation, it is my contention that persons with disabilities require extra protection. I have previously referenced in this Chamber the repport of the Social Inclusion Forum which shows that those in receipt of disability payments are at various stages of poverty and deprivation to the extent that their socioeconomic status is affected in almost all circumstances. This is certainly a contributing factor when they present for interviews or transfer from accommodation.

Goal No. 10 of the United Nations' sustainable development goals adopted in September 2015 aims to reduce inequality within and among countries. Its targets include empowering the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of economic or other status. Those availing of services such as those available under the ability programme such as the younger generation will find it easier to enter into the labour market. However, those who are already in the system find themselves lagging even further behind the general population and need the extra protection and security.

I am conscious of the fact that I am focusing on one aspect of the Bill. However, as spokesperson for Fianna Fáil on disability issues and given the limited amount of time available, I decided to go down that route. It is important that persons with disabilities be afforded every protection, particularly in the light of the fact that we still await formal ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, something for which I have been calling since the Government took office. I was told this time last year that the convention would be ratified by the end of 2016. Now I am being told that it will be ratified before the end of this year, but in the meantime the Minister of State with responsibility who is a member of the Government is talking about heading off to North Korea to solve the world's problems. It must be noted that even though North Korea is a dictatorship, it has actually ratified the UN convention and that we are lagging very far behind. I ask the Minister of State to have a word with the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, and ask him to stay put and get on with completing his business here.

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