Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government agreed at Cabinet on 5 December 2017 to proceed with the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A motion allowing us to do so and to approve the terms of the convention was passed in Dáil Éireann on 7 March. The purpose of the convention is to promote, protect and ensure full and equal human rights and fundamental freedoms for all people with disabilities and to promote and respect their inherent dignity. The Tánaiste signed the instrument of ratification and it was deposited with the UN treaty office last week and the convention will enter into force in Ireland 30 days after deposit. I am pleased to note that Deputy Shortall is paying close attention to my weekly videos, which will continue notwithstanding decisions made on another matter.

In the speech I made on my election as Taoiseach, I mentioned that ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, holding a referendum on the eighth amendment, enactment of the Technological Universities Bill 2015 and producing a ten-year capital plan were among a list of substantial things I would do as Taoiseach. I am glad that we are ticking them off at a good pace.

On the optional protocol, while a commitment was given in 2015 to ratify it at the same time as the convention, our focus has been on ratifying the convention as a first step. This does not preclude us ratifying the optional protocol at a later stage. The protocol and the convention cover a broad range of commitments, some of which require substantial cultural change. Work is continuing on the reforms necessary for Ireland's compliance with the convention requirements. In the early implementation phase it is essential that the resources are appropriately focused on the enhancement of services needed for compliance with the convention and not diverted to other areas, such as the optional protocol, before we are fully ready to engage with it. For this reason, we have decided to adopt a phased approach as the most practical way of moving ahead. Accordingly, the optional protocol is not being ratified at this time but it will be ratified as soon as possible, at the latest following the completion of Ireland's first reporting cycle, which will identify any actions needed with regard to compliance with the convention.

See this speech in context