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.