The Optional Protocol to the Convention on Persons with Disabilities will come into force in Ireland on Saturday 30 November.

This has been a long overdue development which disabled people, Disabled Persons’ Organisations and others have been campaigning on for years.

This mechanism allows disabled individuals or groups in Ireland to directly bring issues concerning potential breaches of disability rights to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

While the ratification of the Protocol is to be welcomed, it is telling that the government only finalised this matter in its closing weeks. Numerous international law experts have established there were no procedural barriers to making this decision — it was entirely within the government’s remit.

Moreover, that the Protocol comes into effect the day after a general election unnecessarily politicises this issue.

If disability rights are to mean anything, they cannot be dependent on government decisions. Instead, we need a firm commitment from the State to fulfil its obligations as a duty bearer.

Dr Richard Scriven

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