Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason Ireland has not ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities; if this is to be ratified imminently; if not, why not, and if he has reconsidered his decision and is willing to fund the United Nations Association. [43151/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities rests with the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs. As regards the Irish United Nations Association (IUNA), following a review of Departmental expenditure in 2009, and taking into account also the recommendations of the McCarthy Report that in the current very difficult budgetary circumstances funding for IUNA should cease, no allocation for grant-in-aid to IUNA was made for 2010.

I do not envisage providing funding to IUNA in the future. This position has been communicated to IUNA by my Department and the Association is proceeding on this basis.

While a matter for IUNA, I would take the view that the immediate priority for the Association should be reform of its structures and procedures, in line with the recommendations set out in the review and audit of the Association undertaken on behalf of the Department in 2007-2008. I would encourage the Association to seek to engage with private donors to secure alternative sources of funding, following on from implementation of the necessary structural and procedural reforms recommended in these reports, including efforts to expand its membership base.