Joint Committee on Disability Matters to discuss United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with Minister O’Gorman and Minister Rabbitte

Minister O’Gorman, the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, and Minister Rabbitte, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality and at the Department of Health with responsibility for Disability, will brief the Committee on:

• Progress on the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021; and
• Progress on the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Chair Deputy Michael Moynihan said: “This is the Committee’s first public engagement and we welcome the opportunity to discuss progress on these two important issues with the Ministers.

“We would particularly like to hear their views on the pathway to enacting the Optional Protocol of the UNCRPD and on how the UNCPRD can be fully reflected in legislation and policy.

“Members will also want to engage with the Ministers on how Covid-19 has impacted on the lives of people with disabilities and the provision of disability services, and discuss the issues and recommendations regarding disability highlighted in the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response Final Report.”

The Joint Committee on Disability Matters has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

The meeting at 4.30pm in Committee Room 4 of Leinster House can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.