David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

I join with Senator Healy Eames in calling for a debate with the Minister for Justice and Equality on the issue of human rights. She rightly highlighted the worthwhile discussion we had in the House recently with Dr. Maurice Manning. The same individual and the Irish Human Rights Commission have spoken prior to the Minister addressing the United Nations on Ireland's performance in respect of human rights: the way women are treated in this State; immigrants - the way we treat people in direct provision centres is appalling and should be examined by this Government and anyone who supports human rights; vulnerable groups, whether it is Travellers or victims of the economic situation from working class backgrounds who cannot get their rights vindicated in terms of health and education; and people with disabilities.

It strikes me that it is easy for us to have a nice, polite conversation with Dr. Manning and to stand up in this House and say we need to do something about human rights but when it comes down to it we have to do something ourselves. We must pass legislation. For example, we had an opportunity yesterday to extend voting rights to citizens abroad and to people in the North. That was rejected by the Government.

I was in the Dáil Gallery some years ago when a Bill on a measure to help people with disabilities was introduced by the previous Government. The people who had disabilities and all the campaigning groups were opposed to the Bill because it was not rights-based. If we are serious about all these issues we should legislate, bring in those Bills and vindicate the rights of people with disabilities, children, women, immigrants and all those who are being denied their rights. That is the most important action we can take.

I would welcome the opportunity to have a discussion with the Minister for Justice and Equality. I hope he will be able to come into this Chamber and that we can have that discussion. However, when Bills, motions and opportunities present themselves to this House that would allow us do something about all of these issues, very often the people who are calling for people's human rights to be vindicated vote against the motions and legislation that could do that.