Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support this wide-ranging motion. In the current economic climate, providing support for sufferers of dementia and their families is very challenging. Unfortunately, action on the Government's commitment to introduce legislation on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is long overdue. In response to questions on when the convention would be ratified, all Ministers who have held portfolios on this topic have said they want legislation in place beforehand. While we have signed up for ratification, we have not addressed all the elements required. While our aspiration to ratify the treaty is noble, we do not recognise the urgency of doing so. I acknowledge this was also the case under the previous Government. Although strides were made under former Minister of State, Mr. John Moloney, to implement a new strategy on disability and mental illness, they were not enough. I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, to ensure legislation is put in place in this regard. While many of its provisions will require financial assistance, it must be acknowledged that rights do not always have financial consequences for the Exchequer. There are many rights enshrined in the UN convention that are not upheld at present.

Under the Good Friday Agreement, Irish sign language is supposed to be recognised both north and south of the Border. In the North, one can gain access to one's government through Irish sign language but this is not possible in the South. This is amazing considering the content of the Good Friday Agreement and the UN convention. One despairs over the fact that on one side of the Border, one will have access to government services and rights whereas, on the other, in the South, one will not. I ask the Minister of State to examine this. While we seem to be very good at signing up to the ratification of UN conventions, our implementation is less than desirable. While I note the commitment on carers and others, I believe that if we are serious about ratifying UN conventions, we must ascribe to the process a greater degree of urgency than we have heretofore.