Optional protocol in the UN Convention is a must – Labour Disability
Labour Disability has called on Minister for Disability Issues Finian McGrath to ensure that the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is ratified.
Labour Disability chairperson Michael Keegan stated: “Ireland will shortly ratify the Convention itself but has declined to sign or ratify the protocol. This Optional Protocol would allow individuals or groups to complain to a UN Committee who can then conduct an enquiry.
“Minister McGrath’s statement yesterday that the Convention itself was the priority shows that the Government is simply paying lip service to the rights of people with disabilities”
“The Roadmap to Ratification which was introduced by then Minister for Equality Aodhan O Riordain in 2015 committed to ratify this Protocol and this was reiterated in 2016 but recent developments have shown that this commitment will be reneged upon.
“We now urge Minister McGrath to ensure the Protocol is ratified now before it is too late as the Convention will have no teeth without it”.