Ireland to back rights convention

The Minister of State with special responsibility for Human Rights, Mr Tom Kitt, has affirmed Ireland's commitment to a proposed new UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Speaking at a public meeting on the issue in Dublin last night, Mr Kitt said Ireland would "participate actively and constructively" in the work of an ad hoc UN committee, due to meet later this month to consider a draft treaty.

"Our position is that the guiding principle of this meeting should be to ensure equal and effective enjoyment by persons with disabilities of all their human rights."

His comments follow recent controversy over the level of official support for the proposed convention. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform had reportedly opposed a common EU position on the issue because of fears over the treaty's financial implications.

Giving the keynote speech at yesterday's public meeting at UCD was the Mexican diplomat who is spearheading the campaign for the treaty, Mr Luis Alfonso de Alba Gorgora. The deputy permanent representative of Mexico to the UN said he was "very hopeful" Ireland would support the initiative.

"The fact that we are starting negotiations is in itself very positive because you force governments and NGOs to talk to each other and identify areas of mutual interest. This is a process that will last a couple of years. But we are confident we will have a good treaty at the end of it, not just a statement of rights but something with implementation at its core."

Prof Gerard Quinn, of the NUI Galway's disability law and policy research unit, which helped to organise the event, welcomed the fact that the "blockage" within Government over the treaty "seems to have dissipated".