Hundreds of people with disabilities and their supporters have protested outside Leinster House over the country's failure to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities over the past ten years.
Cork disability activist Joanne O'Riordan, who organised the protest, said the failure by successive governments to ratify the document indicates that political leaders deem the 600,000 people with disabilities here unworthy of full equality.
In 2011, Ms O’Riordan attracted a lot of media attention when she challenged the government on cuts to disability allowance.
In 2012, she addressed the UN at the International Telecommunication Union’s conference 'Girls in Technology'.
The protestors chanted the word "ratify" as TDs came out of Leinster House to hear Ms O'Riordan outline from her wheelchair some of the obstacles she and others face because Ireland remains the only EU members state not to have ratified the convention it signed ten years ago.
She instanced vehicles obstructing her and others by parking on footpaths and the poor levels of access to public buildings and many privately-owned facilities.
Ms O'Riordan also highlighted the much higher levels of poverty and unemployment suffered by people who are not fully able-bodied.
Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability Finian McGrath said that he is determined that the convention will be ratified soon but only when the State can guarantee compliance with its contents.
