Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

There is a great deal of hurt and anger in the country at the moment. Many disabled people and their carers feel forgotten and abandoned by the Government and the referendum. The proposed amendment only gives recognition to care within the family. The Social Democrats attempted to amend this wording to include care in the community and ensure that the State had an explicit obligation to provide that care, but the Government rejected our amendment and guillotined the legislation. Despite this, the Social Democrats have opted to support both constitutional amendments because we have ultimately been left with a choice between leaving misogynistic language in the Constitution and replacing it with language that is an improvement but should have gone much further. The new wording is better than the old and, unfortunately, that is all we have an opportunity to vote on.

I acknowledge that there are people who disagree and are hurt by our decision. I wish to tell those people that I am listening. Disabled people are rightly asking questions of the Government and the Opposition. They want to know what their rights mean to us and how we intend to vindicate those. For years, the State has failed to provide the basics for 22% of the population. This State neglect is ruining people’s lives. Is it any wonder that the proposed wording of the new amendment makes it feel like people’s rights are being further disregarded? Constitutional recognition means something. It means something for lone parents, who would be recognised as families. It means something for carers, whose work would finally be acknowledged. It would mean something for disabled people to have their rights recognised too. However, the Government refused to do that.

What will the Government do to improve the rights of disabled people in Ireland? It does not need a referendum to do that. It could act today. It could ratify the optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In 2018, the Government ratified the convention but for six years has refused to sign the part that means the Government can be held to account for failing to allow people to exercise their rights. It is disgraceful. Is it any wonder people do not trust the Government when it comes to disability rights? People have a right to more than platitudes and empty promises. Ratifying the optional protocol is something the Government could do now and that could be transformative.

Last week, the Taoiseach told me it is his intention to ratify the optional protocol within this Government's lifetime. It only has a maximum of 12 months to do that. When will the Government ratify the optional protocol? We need it to name the date.

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