Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. She has raised this with me regularly in my time as Minister. I was pleased to announce on 8 October that the Government made the important decision to formally accede to the optional protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, delivering on a key programme for Government commitment. This decision marks a milestone moment for Ireland and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the realisation of the rights and obligations set out in the convention. Furthermore, it reflects our ongoing drive to improve the lives of persons with disability in this country.

On foot on the Government's decision, Ireland’s instrument of accession, signed by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, will be deposited with the UN Secretary General in the coming weeks. The optional protocol will enter into force with respect to the State on the 30th day following that deposit. It is anticipated that the optional protocol will have entered into force by the end of 2024. The accession instrument has been signed by the Tánaiste and is with the permanent mission of Ireland to the United Nations in New York. The document is over there so we are nearly there.

The optional protocol will enable people who feel their rights under the convention have been breached to submit a communication to the relevant UN committee, which may then make recommendations to the State to redress the matter. In that regard, the optional protocol is an important accountability mechanism for implementation of the convention. The relevant information, guidance and complaint forms are available on the website of the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. Accession to the optional protocol forms part of Ireland’s broader approach to compliance with the convention, and ultimately will assist in furthering the State’s progressive implementation of the convention in an important way. Intensive work is ongoing across government to develop Ireland’s next national disability strategy, which will form the implementation plan to advance delivery of the rights as set out in the convention over the coming years.

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