Ratification of optional protocol is a key step for equality – Conway

The decision to accede to the Optional Protocol to UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a welcome decision, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Martin Conway, the first visually impaired member of the Oireachtas, said:

“Today’s decision by Cabinet represents a significant step forward for our country, in not only respecting but ensuring the full realisation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“Since the ratification of the UNCRPD convention in 2018, I have campaigned for Ireland to ratify the optional protocol.

“It is the missing piece in guaranteeing that the rights enshrined in the convention are enforceable.

“This protocol empowers individuals with disabilities to bring forward claims of rights violations directly to the UN, ensuring their voices are heard on a global platform. As a country, this makes us more accountable to ensure people’s rights are delivered.

“In March this year, after a new inter-departmental group was tasked with providing a pathway to accession, I called for a timeline for progressing to ratify the optional protocol.

“The importance of this protocol cannot be overstated—it moves us beyond rhetoric and promises to action, accountability, and tangible change for the betterment of the lives of people with disabilities.

“I am delighted that Fine Gael Leader An Taoiseach Simon Harris has brought new energy and leadership to the government, driving forward the momentum needed to achieve this long-awaited progress.

“His commitment from the moment he took office has been clear, and today marks a crucial milestone in this journey.

“A thank you and credit must be given to all the individual activists and many disability organisations that have worked tirelessly campaigning to secure government action on the optional protocol. Their persistent dedication is what made today possible.

“The work now must continue to ensure that the UNCRPD, along with this protocol, means the full and meaningful delivery of rights for people with disabilities,” Senator Conway concluded.