Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On the same matter, the Taoiseach will be aware that the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill passed Second Stage in February. It has been on Committee Stage for nine months. For nine months, we have been awaiting the very thing he has now announced, which is for the Minister of State to bring forward amendments that were promised. When various Members of this House raised the ratification of the convention, we were repeatedly told that, unlike other countries, we do not ratify until all the legislation is in place. The weekend press said that we will have a sort of fake ratification, that is, we would do it in advance of legislation. I, therefore, have two very simple questions for the Taoiseach. Will he confirm that the position held by successive Governments that, in order that they have a meaningful signing, we do not ratify UN conventions until all the legislation provision is in place still holds? Will the Minister of State bring to this House the amendments to deal with the legislative barrier to final ratification before Christmas? I think the Taoiseach will find a willingness across the House to sit on a Monday or whenever the Government might need to do this so that we can formally ratify the convention by the end of this year.

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