Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The word "equality" has been used a lot in political and public discourse lately. This is a very positive development. Obviously, the marriage equality referendum was an enormous step forward for the LGBTQ community. Equality was the watchword. We need to fight for equality because there has been so much inequality. A host of groups in Irish society have been denied real equality as citizens of the Republic. This has been true for women, for the LGBTQ community and, critically, for people with disabilities. It is a matter of continued frustration for many Deputies that 11 years after agreeing to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Ireland has still not done so. Members of the deaf community have fought for the recognition of sign language and for full equality as citizens for decades.

It is a shame on our society that, to date, we have failed to achieve that genuine equality. It is a particular shame that during the period of austerity that deaf services and advocacy groups were victims of cuts, as were many other services for people with disabilities. The struggle of the deaf community has finally paid off and today we are taking a significant step forward with this Bill. Senator Mark Daly deserves commendation on that, but the greatest credit should go to the sign language and deaf community which has fought so long and hard for this recognition. In a Chamber where we must often be critical and where we are often frustrated, it is good that we can celebrate a positive development and a step in the direction of equality.

The measures in the Bill address critical areas where there has not been equality for the deaf community: recognition of Irish Sign Language as a distinct language and culture, the lack of full and equal access to education, the lack of resources to learn through sign language, lack of access to media communications because there is not enough sign language interpreting in the Irish media, more generally the access to public services, and the need to regulate sign language interpreters and make sure that we have sufficient interpreters in all areas of the public service, politics, media and critically in education. These are all matters addressed in this Bill, and all are needed if we are to move towards equality. These must all be backed up with resources, but having these things enshrined in law places a legal obligation on the Government, politicians and the State to ensure that recognition of equality.

Deputy Coppinger's observation on the private sector is important. This is a first step for the State and for public services to ensure access and equality, but it is something that needs to be extended across society so that the equality exists in all areas of employment and all engagements with employers and private sector actors along with the resources and services.

I commend the sign language and deaf community. Let us now move forward to the full equality that the community deserves.

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