Written answers

Tuesday, 15 November 2016

Department of Justice and Equality

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Photo of Margaret Murphy O'MahonyMargaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

51. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the ratification and implementation of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34834/16]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Interdepartmental Committee on the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was reconvened in September 2014, and met four times to identify all barriers to Ireland’s ratification of the Convention and agree on legislative measures to overcome them. The result of this work was a roadmap to ratification, which was published on 21 October 2015 and which outlines the considerable legislative changes to be undertaken to enable Ireland to ratify the Convention, along with the estimated deadline of end-2016 for ratification. The Roadmap to Ratification, which is available on my Department's website, sets out the substantial legislative agenda required for ratification. Since publication of the Roadmap, work has continued on a bilateral basis between my Department and the other relevant Departments to progress each of the specific issues identified.

Considerable progress has already been made to overcome barriers to Ireland's ratification. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 was signed into law on 30 December 2015 and is a comprehensive reform of the law on decision-making capacity. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 commenced its second stage reading in the Dáil on 5 October. When enacted, the Bill will reform Section 5 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 to facilitate the full participation in family life of persons with intellectual disabilities and the full expression of their human rights. Achieving the necessary balance between those rights and ensuring appropriate protection is crucial.

Work is underway on drawing up an Equality/Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill to progress miscellaneous legislative amendments necessary to proceed to ratification. It is intended that the Bill will address issues such as the Convention's requirements in relation to reasonable accommodation and deprivation of liberty, as well as removing archaic references in existing legislation relating to mental health. The General Scheme of the Equality/Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill is available on the Department's website. I expect to publish the Bill shortly so as to facilitate ratification of the Convention by end-2016.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.