Debate contribution: United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Debate contribution by Mr Robbie Butler on 25 November 2024.

MLA

Mr Robbie Butler

Party at the time

Ulster Unionist Party

Date

25 November 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4675244

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I support the motion and the amendments, and I welcome the chance to debate this really important motion, albeit that, in a way, our motions are toothless. I agree with the leader of the Opposition in that regard: we need to move at pace and see these things materialise. As has been pointed out, 25% of our population lives with a disability or a long-term health condition. Behind that statistic, however, we are talking about individuals — children, parents, colleagues and neighbours — who daily face inequalities and barriers that many of us cannot fully comprehend. From physical inaccessibility to digital exclusion, from discrimination in the workplace to gaps in public service provision, the challenges that those people face are profound. Any of you who have been following my colleague Andy Allen's Twitter feed will know that he is indestructible — he will face any wall and just keep going — but we see that, even on a regular trip across the water, the big airlines are not making their journeys accessible. That can be humiliating, and it is not acceptable. What I will say about our disabled community is that they have incredible resilience and their contribution to society is immeasurable. However, we need to do better and ensure that their rightful demand for equality and inclusion is absolutely met. As chair of the all-party group on disability, I have had the privilege of working alongside some tireless advocates, one or two of whom have already been mentioned. I will read their names into Hansard, if that is OK. They are Joanne Sansome, young Andrew Hamilton, Seán Fitzsimons and Patrick Malone. I am sure that Members will have come across some of those guys. I know that there are more, but their dedication has been relentless, their advocacy persuasive and their impact invaluable. Together, we have made strides, but together we are reminded that we must go much further. As has been mentioned, the Assembly was in stalemate for five years, and, during that time, meaningful progress on disability rights was frozen. Even when the institutions have been operational, successive Ministers have failed to tackle the deep-rooted inequalities that face people with disabilities. The Disability Discrimination Act, which was once seen as groundbreaking legislation, is glaringly outdated and antiquated. Beyond that, Northern Ireland continues to lag behind on equality legislation. For decades, campaigners have called for reform, but the action that is needed to align our laws with modern, inclusive standards have not been forthcoming. The CRPD provides a road map for addressing those failings. By incorporating its principles into local legislation, we would enshrine a framework for equality, dignity and opportunity for people with disabilities. It is not just about having rights on paper, however; it is about making sure that those rights are put into practice. They include the right to live independently and be included in the community; the right to access education, employment and healthcare without barriers; and the right to be protected from all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse. Let us be clear that this is not about charity; it is about justice. I will address the amendment proposed by my colleagues in the DUP. There can be no debate about the fact that, at the heart of the CRPD, is the principle that every life, regardless of ability or circumstance, is valuable and worthy of protection. That includes the lives of our unborn children with disabilities, who are among the most vulnerable in our society. True equality means protecting and uplifting all individuals at every stage of life. It means creating a society in which every person with a disability is welcomed, supported and valued not just after birth but from the very beginning of existence. The CRPD is a framework for ensuring that that is the case, and it must guide us towards a culture that celebrates life and actively dismantles barriers that devalue the disabled community from the very start. The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities needs to be much clearer and more explicit in its stance on protecting the rights of unborn children with disabilities, because the ambiguity surrounding that issue has led to debate, confusion and doubt about the convention's core principles. Incorporating the UNCRPD into our laws would not be just a symbolic gesture; it would be the foundation of a fairer and more inclusive society for everyone and a commitment to listening, learning and acting decisively. We have an opportunity to right historical wrongs and to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are no longer an afterthought but a priority. I say to all Ministers — not just the Communities Minister but all Ministers, including the First Minister and deputy First Minister — that the time for rhetoric and toothless motions is over and the time for action is now. Let us have no more delays; let us wake up and act.

822 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:40 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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