Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everybody from the Irish Deaf Society and the deaf community here. I know some of them were here on occasions when we were discussing this very important issue. I commend Senator Daly on bringing forward this Bill because we should take every opportunity we get to debate Irish Sign Language in this House and the other House and keep it in the minds of the Minister of State. I know the current Minister of State is very supportive, on which I compliment her. I spent more than 20 years with Brian Crean and Dr. John Bosco Conama who also came here lobbying. It is important to keep the Ministers of the day focused. Senator Daly's Bill will help to do that. I commend that aspect of the Bill. It gives us an opportunity to say what we want to say.

I know the Minister of State and Senator Conway have spoken about the national disability strategy implementation group and the important meeting that was held in November. The Irish Deaf Society will come back to the Minister of State with a report on that. I would love to see this Bill implemented though not, obviously, the way it is written at the moment because I will bring out a few things in it. The Senator said there was no tick-tacking back and forth. I met the Irish Deaf Society and the first Bill was re-jigged after that, on which I compliment the Senator. There are other things that cannot be done until we have the view of the entire deaf community.

The Catholic Institute for Deaf People, CIDP, is not mentioned in the Bill. The CIDP is a very important body. A total of €15 million is being spent on the deaf village, which is made up of the Irish Deaf Society, the CIDP and the Centre for Deaf Studies at Trinity College. The fact they are not mentioned in the Bill is an omission. The council that is proposed in the Bill could be a good idea. I am not saying it is good or bad but it is mentioned that it would be under the auspices of the Citizens Information Board and would be known as the Sign Language Interpreting Service, SLIS. It would be better if it was an all-encompassing body including the deaf village, the CIB and the SLIS. Issues like that need to be looked at. When the Minister of State gets a report, I would like her to come back to the House and we will be asking for statements on this again.

I agree that when something is in legislation, it is stronger. However, we do not want to see money being spent on administration that could be better spent on front-line services. When I tabled the motion, it was the Department of Education and Skills that dealt with it because it dealt specifically with interpreting, education, rights and sign language. In deference to Senator Conway, I did not speak in the Irish language but it is right that we should have interpreters who interpret the Irish language in sign as well. I saw a lady in the Visitors Gallery interpreting the Irish language in sign. It should not be confused. I raised a matter relating to the recognition of Irish Sign Language at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. When I first raised the issue, the members thought I was talking about the Irish language, so there is a lot of ignorance. We need education for all Members regarding what is involved and the fact there is a vast difference between people who want cochlear implants and people want choice, as one of the other Senators said. It is important that choice is brought into the equation. If a baby is born deaf to a parent who knows nothing about Irish Sign Language or deaf society, that parent needs to be given choice and informed. It has to be written down that whoever goes into that hospital or school is equipped with both the knowledge and wherewithal of Irish Sign Language, signed English and every other bit of information about cochlear implants. There is no point in giving one side of the debate.

An Coimisinéir Teanga resigned because of the lack of rights for the Irish language. If Irish Sign Language had a commissioner, he or she would have gone long ago because rights are important. The national disability strategy has pointed out that it is under one Department per se. Every Department is responsible and when every Department is responsible, no Department is responsible. I have found this to be true because when I asked for support for the good elements in this Bill, I received a response from the Department of Education and Skills thanking me for my submission looking for its support but advising me that as the matter was more appropriate for the Minister for Justice and Equality, I should correspond with him. As far as I am concerned, sign language, education and interpretation are important for the Department of Education and Skills and the buck stops there.

I ask that a designated person in the Department or in the Department of Education and Science take charge and make decisions on what is expected from public bodies and notice should be taken if a Department is unable to provide a service for those wishing to use ISL, Irish Sign Language. There should be an onus on all Departments to provide this service. For example, the Courts Service provides interpreters when required. I ask if there are interpreters skilled in legal procedure and terms as well as in Irish Sign Language.

I support legislation to recognise Irish Sign Language. In the meantime I want to see what can be done by the Minister. I suggest that guidelines can be implemented without the need for legislation. The Minister should issue informative circular notices on the services available in Irish Sign Language, for example, in maternity hospitals, preschools or schools for the deaf. A register of qualified interpreters should be compiled under the existing body. It is important to provide recognition for Irish Sign Language. I raised this matter at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. Scotland is introducing a Bill to recognise Scottish Sign Language and this could serve as a model for similar legislation here.

I look forward to publication of the report which follows from the national disability strategy. I hope the Minister will bring proposals to the House. The issue about the use of ISL in broadcasting could be dealt with immediately under the provisions of the Broadcasting Act. I ask the Minister to implement the provisions and to ensure a greater use of ISL. I could speak at much greater length on this subject. This Bill could be tweaked to allow for more inclusivity and I will be happy to support it when these improvements are included.