Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Department's leadership in advancing the national disability strategy. The shift towards to a whole-of-government approach embedding the UNCRPD into policy across Departments is critical to making rights real for people with disabilities. The move of disability policy from the Department of Health to the Minister of State's Department was a significant step towards a right-based model and the upcoming strategy is a real opportunity to build on that momentum. However, the key to this success will not just be policy alignment but real implementation and measurable outcomes. Many individuals and disability organisations are anxious to see concrete timelines. Thankfully, the Minister of State was able to provide me with those. The implementation of the UNCRPD is to be monitored by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC, and the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Can the Minister of State assure me that this is going to happen?

See this speech in context