Three years after ratifying disability convention, Ireland must commence capacity legislation so people can live full lives

Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act of 2015 is rights-based legislation which reforms how we interact with and support all adults who have difficulties with their decision-making capacity

Áine Flynn, director of the Decision Support Service says the 2015 Act's aspirations must be given meaningful practical effect.
 

Three years ago this month, and 11 years after it had been an early signatory, Ireland finally ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD is an international human rights treaty and its purpose is to ensure the full and equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

Disability is broadly defined in the CRPD to include persons with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments, which ‘in interaction with various barriers’ may hinder their full participation in society on an equal basis with all others. This social model views persons not as inherently disabled but rather experiencing disability as a result of environmental or societal factors that fail to accommodate their needs.