Accession will establish a mechanism for people with disabilities to make individual complaints to the UN to vindicate rights
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’) has today welcomed the commitment by the Government to accede to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (‘the CRPD’). Once acceded, this will provide a pathway for people with disabilities to make a complaint directly to the UN to vindicate their rights. The Commission, alongside Disabled People's Organisations, has consistently called on the State to ratify the Optional Protocol. Whilst the State signed the CRPD in 2007 and ratified it in 2018, it did not ratify the Optional Protocol. This has left Ireland an international outlier, and disability remains the number one reason that people contact the Commission regarding their rights. Whilst the announcement today is an important step towards the State fulfilling its obligations protecting the rights of disabled people, much remains to be done by the State towards the full implementation of the CRPD. These include the review and amendment of legislative frameworks, including Equality Acts, EPSEN Acts, the Mental Health Act, and to bring forward legislation that adequately safeguards individuals at risk and/or deprived of their liberty. Central to this work is meaningful engagement with disabled people and Disabled People’s Organisations, as a key pillar of the CRPD implementation strategy. In our role as the Independent Monitoring Mechanism under Article 33 of the CRPD, and supported by our Disability Advisory Committee, the Commission will continue to monitor and report on the State’s implementation of the CRPD in its entirety in giving full effect to the rights of disabled people under this Convention. Deirdre Malone, Director of the Commission said,
“We welcome the Government’s announcement today on the Optional Protocol, and urge the Government to commit to full implementation of the Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities. This is a landmark day for disabled people, and the Commission pays tribute to their immense work over the years to get us to this moment.”
ENDS/ For further information, please contact: Sarah Clarkin, IHREC Communications Manager, 01 852 9641 / 087 468 7760 sarah.clarkin@ihrec.ie Follow us on twitter @_IHREC
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is an independent public body, appointed by the President and directly accountable to the Oireachtas. The Commission has a statutory remit set out under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act (2014) to protect and promote human rights and equality in Ireland, and build a culture of respect for human rights, equality and intercultural understanding in the State. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is Ireland’s national human rights institution and is recognised as such by the United Nations. The Commission is also Ireland’s national equality body for the purpose of a range of EU anti-discrimination measures