Irish disability groups have urged a United Nations committee to "challenge vigorously" the State’s record in treating people with disability.
The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is expected to question a Government delegation in Geneva tomorrow on its treatment of mentally handicapped people in psychiatric hospitals.
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It is likely to criticise the Government for the continued absence of legislation to deal with the rights of physically disabled people.
St Josephs Association for the Mentally Handicapped and the National Association for Mentally Handicapped say the Government’s treatment of people with disability in mental hospitals is "inexcusable, indefensible and is a violation of their right to health under article 12 of the UN Covenant".
In its submission to the UN Committee, a delegation representing both groups asked the Committee to challenge the Government on "the absence of a human rights perspective on the issue of disability generally, and particularly in the light of the recent fiasco of the abandoned Disability Bill".
In 1999 the UN Committee called on the Government to publish a rights-based Disability Bill and to "speed up the enactment of legislation relating to the human rights of the disabled, the mentally handicapped, including their detention".
Disability groups say little or nothing has been done despite Government promises at the time.
Earlier this year, the Government was forced to withdraw its Disability Bill after complaints from various groups that it failed to give rights to people with disabilities, their families and carers.
