Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

All of my colleagues have been e-mailing like mad members of the deaf community to inform them that it will be passed on Second Stage. It was the best or worst kept secret, but it is the right thing to do and we are all here to do the right thing. This is a classic example of the new politics. People such as Senator Mark Daly and I who are on opposite sides in many debates are at one on this issue, as are the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, Sinn Féin and all of my good friends and colleagues on the Independent benches. We all want to see this happen. Yet again, Seanad Éireann has stood up to the plate to delivers something tangible which will really make a difference to the lives of well in excess of 5,000 citizens of the country who are among the most marginalised not because they do not have the intelligence, ability or focused determination which many of the rest of us possess but because society has not provided them with the equipment and the level playing pitch that facilitates equality. What society can call itself a society of equals, one that represents equals, when people cannot go a public office and gain access to simple information on their entitlements? It is crazy. The one section of society which has been forward-thinking in this regard is educational institutions. I pay tribute to Trinity College Dublin, in particular, and other third level colleges which have done their duty to ensure people can obtain qualifications, degrees and diplomas, and have access to information.

I agree with the Deputy Mark Daly that RTE is a thundering disgrace. It is shocking to think Ros na Rún is the only tangible option available to members of the deaf community simply because the captions necessary for them to watch other soap operas are not provided. This organisation has a public service obligation, but it is not honouring it for the deaf community. Everyone sees the interpretation of the news for three or four minutes before the main bulletin at night, but this is not enough. In a modern era on the eve of ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a five or ten minute tick the box exercise by the national broadcaster is not something that should be acceptable. The Minister of State should be banging down the door every day of the week, telling RTE that it needs to get its act together and live up to its responsibilities in this regard. Then again, how can the Minister of State do this when the Bill is still on the books and not been passed? How can the Government, irrespective of what political party or creed it is, take on public bodies and point to their obligations and responsibilities when we as a House have not legislated properly and effectively to deal with it?

In the previous term members of the deaf community attended the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, of which the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, and I were proud members. They did so again this term, under the chairmanship of Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin. Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee is quite right - it was a very powerful interaction. They provided practical examples of how they simply could not connect or communicate because of the lack of availability of interpreters. The lack of a right to the availability of interpreters is frightening. There are approximately 40 or 50 qualified interpreters in the country and there is no continuous professional training available to them. All of this will have to change. I am clearly of the view that the Bill will pass not just through this House. When we put it up to them, Members of the other House will have little option but to pass it because, thankfully, we are in the era of new politics which can ensure the voices of small minority groups are heard. When the Bill is passed into law, the responsibility will very much fall on the State to put the necessary structures in place. Perhaps the young people from Bishopstown might consider doing a degree course in sign language interpretation because plenty of work will be available.

The Bill must be passed and we all have an obligation to ensure it does, but it will not be easy. As Senator Mark Daly said, the work will begin on Committee Stage when the Government will outline the practical challenges and Senators will try to identify ways to overcome them. The fact that Seanad Éireann will pass the Bill on Second Stage today means that it agrees with the principle that we need to extend recognition to Irish Sign Language. This is a very good day not just for members of the deaf community who are citizens but also Seanad Éireann. I look forward to the rest of the debate and hope that within a short period we will see the Bill passed into law.