Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their comments. As I mentioned earlier, amendment No. 17 provides for the changing of the Title of the Bill to the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 as a crisper and more user-friendly Short Title. I stress that the recognition of Irish Sign Language is still explicit in the Bill's Long Title and it would be useful to have a citation for a Bill that people will use and that does not have to be abbreviated in ordinary speech. As the House will note, the Long Title of the Bill is an Act to provide for the recognition of Irish Sign Language. The amendment does not take away from that, but it does provide a shorter citation that people will use in practice. That is my personal view. The current Title is a long one which, in practice, people will abbreviate. However, I always listen to Deputy Murphy O'Mahony when it comes to these contributions and I have listened very carefully to other Deputies. I regularly listen to Deputy Murphy O'Mahony speak on other issues regarding services for people with disabilities. Having said that, this is not something on which I wish to divide the House so I will not press the amendment in view of her strong views that she expressed.

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