Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like to directly ask the Minister of State about what the position of the amendments. It is a very important point. It is not just a procedural or technical matter; it is quite a substantive matter.

I shall now turn to the amendments and say that I support Senator Daly's three amendments. Amendment No. 1 is especially important. Senator Norris has already spoken eloquently about amendment No. 2 and the change of name from the "Republic of Ireland" to the "State" and I support that, and about amendment No. 3 which proposes to change the definition of a public body.

Amendment No. 1 proposes to change the phrase "means of communication" to "language". This is very important because we know from the Irish Deaf Society and from others that there are some 5,000 people in Ireland for whom Irish Sign Language is their primary or first language and for whom English is a second language. It is very important in this human rights and civil rights Bill that we would use the language of language when we talk of rights and entitlements. That point also underlies the entire ethos and purpose of this Bill. I commend Senator Daly for introducing the Bill and for the three amendments we are debating now. I ask the Minister of State again for greater clarity about what is the Government's intention around the amendments we were circulated with, and about which there is a great deal of concern among the deaf community.