The Inter-Departmental Committee on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities under the chairmanship of my Department comprises representatives of the Departments of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; Defence; Health; Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Education and Skills; Transport, Tourism & Sport; Environment, Community and Local Government; Social Protection; Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Office of Public Works. Its purpose is not to make findings as such but to identify the legislative and administrative actions required to enable the State to ratify the Convention and advise the Minister accordingly.
The committee has identified as part of its work programme, issues to be considered by various Government Departments. It is a matter for those Departments to determine whether any actions are required in relation to these issues in advance of ratification and report back to the Committee. This work is ongoing in all Departments. As part of the work programme the Committee also held a work shop for Departmental officials last year to assist Departments in their work in this regard.
Reports commissioned are for the purpose of assisting the Committee to carry out its work programme of putting together advice for me on outstanding issues that may need to be addressed in advance of ratification of the convention and as such are not themselves for publication. The Committee is aware of the concerns that have been raised by Disability organisations in relation to the UNCRPD through their contact with those groups via the National Disability Strategy Implementation Group. The work of the Committee is still on going and when a comprehensive list of outstanding issues has been identified the Committee will engage formally with the Disability Stakeholders.
