Ministers oppose UN disability treaty

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell and Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy have been asked to explain Ireland’s sudden opposition to a draft UN Treaty on the rights of the disabled.

Outlining Ireland’s opposition to the proposed Treaty to the Dáil Foreign Affairs Sub Committee on Human Rights yesterday, NUI Galway professor, Gerard Quinn, said it appeared the Department of Justice was opposing the Treaty following Department of Finance concerns over its financial implications for Ireland.

Professor Quinn said a failure on Ireland’s part to bring itself in line with the rest of the EU by coming out strongly in favour of the UN Treaty would put the entire process in jeopardy.