Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 February 2022
329. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the rights of children with disabilities in Ireland set out under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10715/22]
View answerThe UNCRC is informed by four core principles: non-discrimination; the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development and respect for the views of the child with Article 23 focussing on children with a disability. Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992 and is required to submit regular state reports on measures taken to give effect to the Convention.
Ireland’s combined Fifth and Sixth State Report was formally submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on 15 February 2022. The report outlines what Ireland is doing to protect and enhance the rights of children since the previous UNCRC report in 2016. The Report is written in response to a List of Issues Report provided by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and includes a section specifically focussed on Article 23 and the rights of children with disabilities.
Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People expired at the end of 2020. My Department is currently in the process of developing a successor framework for children and young people, aged 0-24, which will cover the period 2023-2028. This new framework will focus strongly on realising children’s rights, and particularly on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
You will be aware that the intention to transfer policy, functions and funding responsibility for specialist community-based disability services (CBDS) from the Minister for Health to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth was announced by the Taoiseach on 27 June 2020. Both my Department and the Department of Health continue to prioritise the work involved in completing this transfer and significant progress has been made.
