Disabled rights stance ‘embarrassing’

IRELAND is the embarrassment of Europe due to its failure to affirm its strong commitment to a draft UN Treaty on the rights of the disabled, Labour’s Michael D. Higgins insisted yesterday.

Deputy Higgins was speaking after Minister for Justice Michael McDowell failed to appear before the Dáil sub-committee on Human Rights to explain Ireland’s position on the draft treaty.

“The issues that have to be resolved are quite serious. I find this late announcement by the minister that he is not going to attend to be just simply unacceptable,” said Mr Higgins.

Mr McDowell had been due to address the committee following criticism that Ireland was pulling back from a previously strong role in pushing for the development of a UN Disability Treaty.

At the previous Committee meeting last month Professor Gerard Quinn said Ireland’s failure to come out strongly in favour of the UN Treaty would put the entire process in jeopardy.

However, sending his regrets, Mr McDowell dispatched officials from the equality unit of his department. However, they were unable to answer the committee’s questions.

Addressing yesterday’s meeting, Ann Doyle from the equality unit of the Department of Justice, said Mr McDowell was not opposed to the UN Treaty.

However she was unable to comment on any aspect of the Minister’s views on what rights the new treaty should include.

Crucially, Ms Doyle said she felt she could not comment in response to questions from Fine Gael Deputy Jim O’Keeffe as to whether economic and social rights should form part of the UN document.

“It’s a question as to whether this country is prepared to support a rights-based approach. We want to know where we stand - where this country stands - in relation to the disabled,” said Deputy O’Keeffe.

Much to the dismay of the committee members and disability campaigners present, Ms Doyle and representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs declined to answer any detailed questions on Ireland’s intentions for the UN Treaty.

“I see this as essentially a political debate and it is not part of my role here to engage in political debate with the committee,” said Ms Doyle.

Meanwhile responding to cutbacks which are leaving young disabled people without daycare after they turn 18, Fine Gael last night accused the Government of throwing young people with disabilities on the scrap heap.

“Such is the level of disability of many such children, they may never leave home again. At 18 they have been left on the scrap heap of life,” said Fine Gael health spokesperson Olivia Mitchell.

“Government funding is being used to contest court cases being taken by distraught parents who are seeking basic services for their disabled children.

At least some of the funding necessary could be found by found by diverting money into actually providing those services,” Deputy Mitchell added.