UN treaty ‘threatened by lack of State support’

IRELAND’S failure to publicly support a proposed UN treaty on the rights of people with disabilities could jeopardise the entire treaty, a leading law professor will tell an Oireachtas committee today.

Professor Gerard Quinn from NUI Galway will ask the Oireachtas sub-committee on human rights to recommend that the Government make a clear statement of support for the draft UN treaty.

"All we need is one line in the public domain which says the Irish Government would like to see the process move forward and that we as a country support it. There has been no real opening statement yet from the Government," Professor Quinn said.

The treaty, currently at draft stage, is aimed at the estimated 600 million people with disabilities worldwide most of whom live in developing countries. The overall objective is to set out more clearly what the obligations of states are with respect to the human rights of disabled people.

Campaigners envisage a strong enforcement element to the treaty which would force countries to clarify their obligations to people with disabilities.

But earlier this month, the Department of Justice voiced its opposition to the disability treaty saying it was opposed to any Irish involvement in the treaty's drafting.

However, two weeks ago Junior Justice Minister Willie O'Dea indicated a possible change of stance saying he believed the Government would come out in favour of the new UN treaty.

But to date no further Government statement has been made on the matter.