Blocking treaty would be a disgrace

It would be shameful if this country was responsible for blocking the UN Treaty on the Rights of the Disabled, which already has the support of the other 14 member states of the EU.

At a meeting of the Dáil Foreign Affairs Sub-committee on Human Rights yesterday, it was charged that the Departments of Justice and Finance were colluding to oppose the treaty purely on the grounds of the financial implications for the country.

Ireland was originally in favour of the treaty but there now appears to be a major U-turn executed by the Government to prevent the treaty being adopted.