Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am very happy to get an opportunity to speak on this issue. It is an issue of core principle because it is one of equality and justice, and it is important that we underscore that equality. I commend all those who have already been commended, particularly Senator Mark Daly and others who have put this principle on the agenda repeatedly. During times when we have been told to roll back our ambition for society, Senator Daly has said "No", that this is a core question of justice and has put the issue forward again and again. Again, I am very happy to see there is support across the House for the Bill.

However, it is also a matter of taking those principles and putting them into practice. Senator John Dolan, our colleague in this group, and many of the other Senators in the Civil Engagement group have been pushing and pressing for the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I recognise that the Minister of State has also committed now to ratifying that. This Bill is a very real example of what it means when one ratifies such a treaty. It does not just mean that one signs one's name or gets applauded. It means real resources. It means the kind of detailed, practical, actual, meaningful offers and proposals set out in such detail in this Bill. This is what happens when principle is translated into practice, and I hope this will set a template for that meaningful translation of principle into practice across so many areas of disability in Irish life.

I want to highlight two other specific issues on participation. Before I talk about participation, I will talk about privacy. It is all Ps for me today. Privacy is something that was spoken about very eloquently by Senator Norris as well. Communication has many functions. One of the important questions is the discretion and dignity of human beings and their ability to communicate and to have their discretion and dignity respected, not to rely on ad hocsolutions or a family member to be immediately privy to all their information and not to have people stepping in - children in many cases - as interlocutors for family members when they should not have to do so. Each person has the right to communicate as an individual person and to be facilitated in that by use of his or her preferred language, in this case Irish Sign Language, ISL. We have been read many letters - I will not recite any; others have spoken of them - in which people talked about how it compromised their privacy and dignity, for example, in medical situations, not to be able to communicate themselves as themselves. I again welcome the fact that the Bill sets out such real and clear procedures surrounding the registration of those supports. What does it mean when we supply real, qualified, appropriate translation in all aspects of our State?

Lastly, I want to speak briefly about participation. We have heard about the participation of citizens. This is not just the services received, but also participation given by citizens. This facilitates people to give into society and to participate fully. That is why it is important we remember that the recognition of ISL is not just an issue that affects a minority. When everyone participates in society we make better decisions and get better outcomes, and when a minority cannot be part of a debate in society, we all lose out - all of society - so again I welcome the Bill.

My last point concerns cultural participation. It is not just a matter of functional participation. It is about culture as well. When we recognise ISL, our whole culture and society will be deepened. We can all look forward to what we might hear from those who will now be putting a new language on the agenda.