Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Before this evening's debate, I went back over information that I had gathered over recent years in relation to the campaign by the deaf community to have Irish Sign Language, ISL, recognised. I found the Irish Deaf Society's list of the ten main reasons that Irish Sign Language must be recognised by the State as a language of this country, which are as follows: there are 5,000 deaf people using ISL daily, and an additional 35,000 hearing people; for regular ISL users, it is an innate and integral part of their personality; ISL is the only natural and fully accessible language for deaf children - it does not hinder any ability to learn how to speak or listen; there is no national register of ISL interpreters and ISL teachers and furthermore there are no accreditation or monitoring systems; ISL has been in use for centuries despite repressive attempts to destroy the language; service providers such as Government bodies are not legally obliged to respect Irish Sign Language - they will translate information into English and Irish but rarely into ISL; the motion calling on the Government to recognise ISL has been passed by more than 40 local authorities; there is no automatic right for deaf people to have an ISL interpreter in the justice system; no deaf child can fully learn ISL, as not all teachers are fluent or even qualified in ISL; and there is no access for deaf people to emergency or helpline services in ISL.

Tonight is a brilliant night for the deaf community to see this situation changed in legislation. I commend Senator Mark Daly on this, but more importantly I ask the Ceann Comhairle to indulge us somewhat this evening. Every now and then we can hear applause from the Gallery and it would be appropriate if we took a moment for the deaf community to applaud themselves because it was its campaigning work over the past 30 years that has brought this about. Well done to all.

We know what this Bill will initiate. It will allow more access to public services and education. The State will be obliged to provide interpreters in schools and in broadcasting and it will allow the deaf community to have interpreters in courts and the health services. This is just a start and I hope that from now on we will have more resources for the deaf community to advance their rights, equality in the public and private sector and its absolute human right to have its own language.

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