John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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1806. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on Ireland’s full implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18921/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2018. The UNCRPD articulates a range of social, economic, and cultural rights, as well as civil and political rights, which the State is obliged to uphold and advance in relation to disabled people.

Since ratification, the State’s approach to UNCRPD implementation has been one of progressive realisation, ensuring that advancements are made regarding its implementation over time.

It is important to note that while my Department, as the designated “focal point” for UNCRPD implementation, holds responsibility for cross-government coordination of disability policy, it is incumbent upon all departments and bodies to execute their functions in ways that advance the UNCRPD. This is in line with the emphasis placed by the UNCRPD on the importance of mainstream-first service delivery; namely that services and programmes are delivered first on the basis of mainstream inclusion, rather than segregated or specialised provision.

The 2025 Programme for Government commits to delivering and fully resourcing a National Disability Strategy which functions as a whole-of government plan for the further implementation of the UNCRPD, and my Department is leading on this work.

A robust and extensive consultation process was carried out and feedback has coalesced around a range of thematic pillars that, collectively, will capture the spectrum of issues affecting the day-to-day lives of disabled people:

• Inclusive learning and education
• Employment
• Independent living and active participation in society
• Wellbeing and health
• Transport and mobility

Delivery of the strategy will be in parallel with, and will encompass and capture, ongoing work in my own department to ensure and improve the delivery of specialist disability services.