Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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731. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which his Department and agencies under his remit are meeting obligations under the Irish Sign Language Act 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17421/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Irish Sign Language Act, 2017 was signed into law on 24^thDecember 2017. The Minister of State with Responsability for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte and I jointly signed the commencement order. My Department is responsible for this piece of legislation, although key sections of the Act are the responsability of other Departments.

The Act recognises Irish Sign Language (ISL) as a native language of the State and provides that the ‘community of persons using Irish Sign Language shall have the right to use, develop and preserve Irish Sign Language’.

The Act sets out requirements and obligations on public bodies for the provision of ISL services. This includes a duty on all public bodies to provide ISL speakers with free interpretation when availing of or seeking to access statutory entitlements and services. My Department will meet this duty. My Department also wrote to all Departments to advise them of the commencement of the Act and of their duty, and the duty of agencies under their remit, under the Act.

In addition, under section 10 of the Act, my Department is required to prepare periodic reports on the operation of the Act. My Department has engaged the National Disability Authority to carry out this work and preparation of the first such report under the Act is underway.