For the past hour, disability activists have been outside this building calling on the Government to ratify the optional protocol to the UNCRPD. I remind the Taoiseach that the UN convention was established in 2006. It took 12 years of campaigning by people with disabilities and disability activists finally to force the Government to ratify it. However, we are one of only three countries in Europe that has failed to ratify the optional protocol that actually gives teeth to the convention and provides a mechanism for people who feel their rights are not being vindicated under the convention to do something about it and force the Government to comply.

Will the Government ratify the optional protocol to the UNCRPD?