Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thought last night of drafting a few words at my kitchen table about the Bill and I prepared them. Then I came in this morning to find a letter from a 17 year old student from Waterpark in Carrigaline, County Cork. I want to share some of it with the House because it crystalises and summarises everything about this issue.

Dear Senator,

[I] am proudly Deaf. I am 17 years old. I go to Bishopstown Community School in Cork. My first language is Irish Sign Language (ISL) and I am using it to communicate with my friends and my family since I cannot speak. I am writing this letter to ask you to pass the law for Irish Sign Language to be recognised. I think it's extremely important that we, deaf people, have our primary language which is Irish Sign Language recognised. Deaf people have fought for the bill for Irish Sign Language to be recognised for many years. My primary language is Irish Sign Language and I love learning different ... languages such as American Sign Language. In fact, ... the United States of America have already passed the law for American Sign Language (ASL) to be recognised. [In] other countries such as Finland, Finnish Sign Language is already recognised there in 1995, 21 years ago! That was before I was ... born.

...

My disability doesn't stop [and shouldn't stop] me reaching my goal [and my potential].

A young woman came to visit me in my school on Thursday 6th of October ... She is a Mexican deaf person who works in the White House in America as a receptionist to Barack Obama. The first deaf receptionist. This amazes me a lot. She is an inspiration to me.

...

Please can you pass this bill for Irish Sign Language to be passed and recognised as a third official language? I would be extremely happy. It would end the "silent war" between deaf people and the government. This would give ... people more equality and more rights.

Thank you for your time and your concern to read this letter.

Why would I not read this letter? It says it all. I urge all of us to come together and unite in support of the Bill, not only here today, but also as it progresses. We can pass all the legislation and Bills we want, but I appeal to the Minister for the necessary resources and funding to give effect to them.