Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tonight is a night of progress for us. It is a night of inclusion, equality and respect. It is a night to remember all persons with disabilities who have left us before seeing the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD. This has the capacity to markedly transform the lives of a section of our people who have been marginalised and secluded for far too long. I have been privileged through this mandate of the Oireachtas to see the passing of the recognition of Traveller ethnicity and Irish Sign Language as an official language and now the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. All three items of legislation are extremely important and show marked societal progress for Ireland as a country in respect of inclusion and equality. It is not often I commend the Government; however, tonight commendation is warranted. I thank the Government for finally ratifying the convention and ending an almost 11-year wait since its initial signing by the then Irish Government. I also seek an assurance that the Government will confirm that the optional protocol will be ratified at the same time as the UNCRPD.

The convention provides the framework to promote, protect and ensure the rights of all people with disabilities and promotes equal rights in all areas of life. These are the basic fundamentals that should be afforded to any person in a decent and modern society, able-bodied, disabled or otherwise. While the ratification of the convention is most welcome, I must stress it is only the first step. The real measure of delivery of the rights that are contained in the convention will be in its implementation.

Persons with disabilities have waited far too long and fought on the streets outside this very House to have their rights afforded through this measure. My concerns remain and, therefore, I call on the Government and the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, not to stop here and to bring forward this legislation without delay and to engage with us, other parties, the disability groups and persons with disabilities themselves. Let us make sure we get this right.

The Government entering reservations and declarations in relation to Articles 12, 14 and 27 of the convention is also worrying and the wording of these needs to be scrutinised much more closely. We cannot dilute the aims of what the convention seeks to do before the ink is even dry on it.

The best placed persons to oversee and monitor the implementation of all that is contained in the convention are those who have the most to gain from it. Persons with disabilities and those groups who advocate for them need to be part of this process, so I ask the Minister of State what steps have been taken by the Government to establish such a group, and who he expects to be involved in it.

Government Departments and the public service broadly need to become leaders, and a benchmark for inclusion, access and equality for persons with disabilities. An employment strategy for each public body should be rolled out and there should be a place on each State board for people with disabilities. This would be a true and worthy statement of equality and inclusion.

I thank all those persons with disabilities who fought in their own groups, on the streets, in this House and at our committees to deliver ratification of the convention. I also pay tribute to my colleague, Teachta Ó Caoláin, for his work on this, as, most generously, did the Minister of State. It is an issue very dear to him and close to his heart. He is happy to see it ratified. He will pursue, vigorously, that the ratification is not simply a PR stunt but actually means something-----

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