Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when it is proposed to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which Ireland signed in March 2007; the steps being considered for the transposition into law and the implementation of the principles and rules of the treaty; the mechanisms and procedures that will be put in place for consultation with service providers, non-governmental organisations and the public on the way to deliver the changes detailed in the treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19366/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland was in the first group of countries to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities when it opened for signature on 30 March 2007. The Government approved the establishment of a high-level, cross-departmental implementation group to advise on any changes to the Government's National Disability Strategy that may be required to enable the State ratify the Convention. This implementation group has been established and it will consult with representatives of people with disabilities as it carries out its work.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps he will take, in view of the fact that the European Commission is taking action against Ireland for failing to properly transpose the Race Equality Directive into national law, to ensure full and proper compliance and transposition of the Directive; the timeframe that will be involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19367/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Discrimination on the ground of race is prohibited in Irish law under the Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2007 and the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004, in the field of employment and in access to and supply of goods and services, respectively. While Ireland's equality legislation was already substantially in compliance with Council Directive 2000/43/EC, commonly known as the Race Directive, the Equality Act 2004 enacted some, largely minor, amendments to both the Employment Equality Act 1998 and to the Equal Status Act 2000 in order to fully transpose the Directive. The State has remained in communication with the European Commission in this regard and has assisted the Commission with various queries it has raised concerning the interpretation of these Acts in the context of transposition of the Race Directive into Irish law. Most of these have been clarified.

The European Commission has addressed reasoned opinions to Ireland and to 13 other Member States concerning transposition of the Race Directive. The reasoned opinion addressed to Ireland relates to minor technical issues. My Department is carefully examining the Commission's remaining queries and will prepare the State's response in due course.