Government will overcome civil servants' 'resistance' to protocol for people with disabilities — Taoiseach

Mr Varadkar also revealed that carers are set to receive a State contributory pension and tax credits for stay-at-home parents are to be improved

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he does not believe for a moment that the outcome of the referendum vote 'was a vote against equality for women, better recognition for carers or non-marital families'. 

The Taoiseach has indicated that Ireland's failure to adopt a much-demanded protocol for people with disabilities is down to "resistance" from civil servants.

Ireland has yet to ratify the optional protocol to UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, which it signed in 2018. The optional protocol establishes a complaints mechanism under the convention and its absence was one reason why disability advocates said they were against last week's referendum, which was resoundingly defeated.

In an update on the referendum votes sent to Fine Gael members in recent days, Mr Varadkar pledged to ratify the optional protocol regardless of any opposition from civil servants.

He wrote: "When it comes to disability, we will do all that we can to provide our citizens with the assessments, therapies and personal assistance they need. This is easier said than done. With a budget for disability services having been increased to almost €3bn a year already, there is no lack of money, compassion, political will, interest or concern.

"There is an absence of suitably qualified staff willing and available to work in the area, and the systems and organisations to assign the resources we do have efficiently.

"We will also ratify the optional protocol on the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities following our decision to sign it during my first term as Taoiseach. 

Any resistance from the permanent government will be overcome by the elected one.

Mr Varadkar said the Government would act to show it "heard, understood and is acting on what people said to us in the ballot box" in delivering a massive defeat to the government.

He added that the Government "failed to make the case for the need for change at all, never mind the merits of the specific wording".

Subsequent to the message sent to FG members, Mr Varadkar revealed that carers are set to receive a State contributory pension and tax credits for stay-at-home parents are to be improved under a raft of measures being worked on by the Government. 

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He also said Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys is now carrying out a review of the carer's support grant.

Mr Varadkar said he does not believe for a moment that the outcome of the referendum vote "was a vote against equality for women, better recognition for carers or non-marital families". 

"I haven't met anyone who does. I think if the public want us to strive to do anything, it is to make more practical changes for the better in these areas. So, with this in mind, I will co-ordinate a cross-government plan to do exactly that."