At the Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality this morning, Senator John Dolan raised the failure of the Government to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with Minister of State Finian McGrath with special responsibility for Disability Issues. The committee was conducting pre-legislative scrutiny of the Equality/Disability Miscellaneous Provisions Bill.

Speaking at the committee, Dolan said, “As you are aware Minister this convention was adopted by the UN in 2006, yes, ten years ago – and was signed by the then Government in 2007.

Government must take the concerns raised by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council on board…

‘The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Report published this week makes one clear and unambiguous point, as follows, “Under the new budgetary framework, current projections indicate that any further increases in expenditure in 2017 for higher public sector pay will have to be offset by lower spending in other areas or higher taxes”

It is clear that the report, just published, makes the point that unplanned public pay increases will directly impact on the capacity of the Government to advance it’s public and social services commitments.

Statement from Senator John Dolan, Chief Executive, Disability Federation of Ireland

The restoration of vital public services set back by concessions on pay

Speaking this morning at Enable Ireland and Disability Federation of Ireland’s Launch of a ‘Discussion Paper on the Future of Assistive Technology, at the NCH’, Senator John Dolan said today, “No Government should allow itself to be bullied into a situation where it has to concede the reasonable and long awaited expectations of people and families who urgently need to see major improvements in public services.