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Ireland and the UNCRPD
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
Ireland signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCPRD) in 2007 and ratified it in March 2018. This means that Ireland is committed to promoting and protecting the full enjoyment of all human rights by people with disabilities.
The rights set out in international conventions like the UNCRPD are given effect through domestic measures and processes. The UNCRPD helps us to understand the ways in which existing human rights support people with disabilities to live independent lives on an equal basis with everyone in society. Ireland is committed to respecting, protecting and fulfilling the human rights of people with disabilities as set out in the UNCRPD.
Ireland takes this responsibility extremely seriously and implements the rights in the UNCRPD on an ongoing basis to continually advance and strengthen domestic measures to support rights in the UNCRPD. Ireland is doing its part to bring about an equal and inclusive society. We will continue to do so into the future.
Article 33 of the UNCRPD mandates that an independent mechanism be set up to monitor the progress of the State in fulfilling its obligations under the UNCRPD. It helps to ensure that the State is actively improving its laws, policies and services to guarantee people with disabilities the same human rights as everyone else.
The Irish Human Rights Equality Commission (IHREC) has statutory responsibility under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022 to promote and monitor ‘the implementation in the State of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities done at New York on 13 December 2006.’ In Ireland. The National Disability Authority (NDA) supports IHREC to perform this monitoring role by the provision of information, advice and statistical information where required.
On 10 November 2021, Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte T.D., submitted Ireland’s first report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The report describes what Ireland is doing to protect and enhance the rights of people with disabilities. The report was informed by the views and experiences of people with disabilities which were shared through a consultation process held in early 2021.
This report will be reviewed by the UN Committee and Ireland is currently awaiting a date for that review. The information gathered by the UN Committee through the review process will inform their conclusions. They will highlight good practice in relation to UNCRPD implementation and make recommendations on areas for improvements.