Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would like again to underline the Government's commitment to implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Much of the work for the year ahead will involve advancing the measures needed to implement the convention so that Ireland is in a position to ratify the optional protocol as soon as possible. As it is Disabilities Week and tomorrow is International Day of Disabilities, the Senator is right. The way out of poverty is through employment and education. Awareness, training, breaking down barriers and creating a society where we have equality is what the Government and the two Houses aspire to. I think sometimes for certain Departments, everything needs to be depoliticised. I refer to the area of disability being included in the new Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth under the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. We need to break down all the barriers to ensure progress is made at speed.