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

That is all well and good - I do not want to be sceptical because I am not a sceptic by nature - but I heard all this, last year and in February. I asked the Minister of State when would this be ratified and he stated it would be a couple of weeks before Christmas.

The reply is ambiguous. Can Deputy Finian McGrath give an exact date when the UNCRPD will be ratified? To say that it will be as soon as possible could mean anything. I heard that last year. It could be another year. I am not questioning the Minister of State's bona fides but the reply is too ambiguous.

Deputy Finian McGrath must give an exact date when this Convention will be ratified. If he waits for all the legislation and by-laws, we will be waiting forever. The Minister of State even stated this morning in the media that does not have to happen, we would ratify it and then the primary legislation can be legislated for. Can the Minister of State give an exact date when this Convention will be ratified? As I stated, 600,000 people are relying on the Minister of State's words and they are very important words.

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