Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1063. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ratify the Optional Protocol in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the timetable for ratification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20363/20]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities rests with the Department of Justice and Equality .

I am informed by that Department that Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international treaty that establishes two procedures aimed at strengthening the implementation and monitoring of the Convention. The first is an individual communications procedure allowing individuals to bring petitions to the Committee claiming breaches of their rights; the second is an inquiry procedure giving the Committee authority to undertake inquiries of grave or systematic violations of the Convention.

The Programme for Government reiterates the commitment to ratify the Optional Protocol after the first reporting cycle. The Government priorities remain focused on addressing the remaining legislative measures to be taken to give full effect to the Convention.

Other priorities are the submission of the CRPD Initial State Report and developing an implementation plan to coordinate implementation of the UNCRPD.

The National Disability Inclusion Strategy is the key framework for policy and action to address the needs of people with disabilities. Through its actions, the strategy supports effective progress in delivering on the obligations set out in the Convention.