Gabrielle McFadden (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was delighted to hear the news yesterday that Ireland is finally to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It is a very significant development and I warmly welcome it and commend the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, and the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, on finally bringing it to that stage. I have spoken on the matter, as have Senators Dolan and Conway.

However, that welcome news comes just 24 hours after Irish Rail's new pilot project to make using trains easier for people with disabilities was criticised by some users. Under the new plan announced by Irish Rail, mobility and sensory-impaired rail users would have to give four hours' notice to a station if they want to travel so that ramps can be provided. While this is an improvement on the 24 hours' notice that is currently in place, I do not think it is good enough. No other rail user has to give notice. If I want to go on a train, I buy a ticket and board a train and that is it. Why should a person with a disability be treated any differently?

Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act, 2014 places a duty on public sector bodies to be proactive, to promote equality and to protect the human rights of people with disabilities. Irish Rail is 100% owned by the Government and received a State subvention last year of €133 million. It seems to me that the subventions some public sector bodies receive rarely get to the service users. I call on the Leader to request that the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, engage with Irish Rail to ensure that it is fulfilling its obligations. Such action would help provide reassurance that our ratification of the UN convention is a meaningful process and not just a token gesture.