Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Finance when he expects to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the action he must take for ratification of this Convention to proceed; if an inter-departmental committee has been established; and the time line for implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25098/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is responsible for the co-ordination of the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and established an interdepartmental working group with various Government Departments including this Department inputting into the process. The working group identified certain areas relevant to my Department. These are (i) to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to bank loans, mortgages and other forms of financial credit (ii) to prohibit discrimination in the provision of health and life insurance and (iii) the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector.

Under the Financial Regulator's Consumer Protection Code, which came fully into force in July 2007, a regulated entity must ensure that in all its dealings with customers and within the context of its authorisation, without prejudice to the pursuit of its legitimate commercial aims, it does not, through its policies, procedures or working practices, prevent access to basic financial services.

Regarding item (iii), a Code of Practice for the Employment of People with a Disability in the Irish Civil Service has been published by my Department and is being implemented by Government Departments and public bodies staffed by Civil Servants.