Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 559: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will provide details on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the main provisions of this convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38539/10]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is a human rights instrument with an explicit social development dimension. It adopts a broad categorisation of persons with disabilities and reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms of existing UN human rights conventions, (principally the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights).

The provisions of the convention deal with the following areas:

· right to life, liberty and security of and protecting the integrity of the person;

· access to justice, non-discrimination and equality before the law;

· freedom from torture, inhuman treatment, exploitation, violence and abuse;

· respect for home and family;

· accessibility to buildings, goods and services;

· independent living, personal mobility;

· education, health, work and employment; and

· adequate standards of living and social protection.

Ireland was in the first group of countries to sign, subject to ratification, the UNCRPD when it opened for signature on 30 March 2007. It is the Government's intention to ratify the Convention as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to ensure that all necessary legislative and administrative requirements under the Convention are being met.