Dáil debates

Wednesday, 7 March 2018

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Motion

 

5:25 pm

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, welcome that we have commenced the process of ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which we first committed to ratify in 2007 when the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, was on this side of the House. I take this opportunity to commend the disability groups and, in particular, Senator John Dolan, on the work they have done over many decades to bring us to this point. The Minister of State has given a commitment that parts of it will be implemented by the end of 2018 but I hope that it will be implemented in full. Articles 12 and 14, as referred to by Deputy Harty, are very important. To deny any person liberty or to restrict people in any way is not right or fair but to do this to a disabled person is particularly unfair. I welcome the disabilities groups who are in the Visitors Gallery, some of whom I met earlier around the House.

We will be monitoring every step of this process. While it is too little too late hopefully it will be of some benefit. The support group, Every Life Counts, has warmly welcomed the submission of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, CRPD, which states that allowing abortion on disability grounds violates the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Ms Tracy Harkin of Every Life Counts said that parents were very pleased that the UN committee had also rejected the "incompatible with life" label, which she said has been used to dehumanise and discriminate against babies with a severe disability. In 2015, I travelled with Every Life Counts to the UN in Geneva, where we asked that this label be recognised as a form of discrimination that was undermining the humanity of babies and misleading parents. We are delighted that the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has rejected the "incompatible with life" label. The HSE has also sought to dissuade the use of this term. While some sectors have adhered to this, I was shocked to hear many of the so-called experts who appeared before the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution still using it. Even after I challenged them on it, and pointed out to them that the HSE no longer uses that term, they continued to use it. It is highly insulting to people. There are many other areas wherein people with disabilities are left behind. As stated by Deputy Michael Collins, they find it very hard to engage with particular sections of the HSE and that is not acceptable.

I welcome this move. It is long overdue. I again thank the Disabilities Federation of Ireland and Senator Dolan for their hard work in campaigning for the ratification of this convention.

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