Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 171: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will ensure that public service providers are accessible to deaf people through sign language interpreting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8653/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Section 28 (1)(a) of the Disability Act 2005 provides that each public body is required to ensure, as far as practicable, that information which is orally provided to the public is provided in an accessible format, where so requested by persons with hearing impairments.

In July of last year I launched a Code of Practice on Accessibility of Public Services and Information provided by Public Bodies (S.I. No. 163 of 2006), which is an important element of the implementation of the National Disability Strategy initiated by the Government in 2004. Just as the aim of the Strategy is to underpin the participation of people with disabilities in Irish society by building on existing policy and legislation, this code enhances disability policy by assisting public bodies to make services and information accessible to people with disabilities.

The National Disability Authority (NDA) prepared this code, at my request, to guide public bodies in relation to compliance with regard to sections 26 (Access to services provided by a public body), 27 (Access to services supplied to a public body) and 28 (Access to information) of the Act. The code provides practical guidance and examples of approaches and methods that could be employed to ensure that services by public bodies are accessible to people with disabilities where practicable and appropriate. It suggests that one of the ways that public bodies could make information more accessible to persons with hearing impairments is to provide sign language interpreters.

The NDA provides support and assistance to public bodies in making their information and services accessible to people with disabilities. In addition, the National Disability Authority Act, 1999 provides for a monitoring role for the Authority, in relation to the implementation of codes of practice, such as this code, developed by the Authority and approved by me.