From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, has announced his intention to establish an Inter-Departmental Group on ratification of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“OP” / “UNCRPD). This Group will bring a renewed focus and energy to the enabling work that is necessary to provide for ratification of the Optional Protocol.
Ireland ratified the UNCRPD in 2018 and the State is committed to its progressive implementation. Ratification of the Optional Protocol – which creates additional mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation under the UNCRPD – is a commitment in the Programme for Government and was expected to follow Ireland’s first periodic review under the Convention.
Due to delays at UN level, Ireland’s appearance before the Committee is delayed. For this reason, Minister O’Gorman and Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte, have consistently indicated their openness to earlier ratification subject to the state being in a position to honour the commitments and obligations involved.
Minister O’Gorman today briefed his Cabinet colleagues on plans to form an Inter-Departmental Group, to include all relevant government departments and the Office of the Attorney General, to work through the complexities of ratification and report back to government on a pathway to ratification. A scoping exercise that has been ongoing in the Minister’s Department is due to shortly conclude and will form the basis of this work.
Minister O’Gorman said:
"I am delighted to announce the establishment of an Inter-Departmental Group on the ratification of the Optional Protocol. Ratification is a Programme for Government commitment and ratification will be an important reaffirmation of Ireland’s commitment to the UNCRPD and to improving the lives of persons with disabilities.
This Inter-Departmental Group will pool resources across government in working through the opportunities and the complexities of ratification, and will ensure Ireland is positioned for ratification. I will be tasking the Group with accelerating the work required for ratification welcome the focus that will be brought across Government to this issue.
I look forward to the next steps of this process as we work toward delivery on this Programme for Government commitment.
Minister Rabbitte said:
"I welcome the establishment of this Inter-Departmental Group on the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This is a crucial part of our due diligence as a State in making sure that we are properly set up to comply with the Optional Protocol, and to therefore maximise the positive impact for persons with disabilities.
I look forward to engagements across government on this exciting step in Ireland’s disability journey, and to the energy and the fresh drive that this Group will bring to the next steps of this work.
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