Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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483. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if clarification will be provided in relation to a statement (details supplied) regarding the delay in publishing the first report on the operation of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017; the legal matter that is holding up the publication of the report; if his attention has been drawn to reports that members of the deaf community believe that the report on the operation of the Act would help to identify and tackle issues in relation to same (details supplied); when the report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57432/22]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Sign Language Act 2017 was signed into law on 24th December 2017 and I commenced the Act jointly with my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O'Gorman, T.D in December 2020.

The Act recognises the right of ISL users to use ISL as their native language, and to develop and preserve it. The Act places a statutory duty on all public bodies to provide ISL users with free interpretation when availing of or seeking to access statutory entitlements and services provided by or under statute. Implementing the Act requires a whole of government approach and as such all public bodies have obligations to fulfil. In addition, the Act also provides for specific duties and obligations in the areas of legal proceedings, educational provision and broadcasting.

Section 10 of the Act requires that a report on the operation of the Act be produced initially three years after enactment and every five years thereafter. These reports must be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

In line with these requirements, I commissioned the National Disability Authority (NDA) to produce the first report on the operation of the Act. A draft Report was submitted to me in 2021, and subsequently circulated to departments and agencies for observations and to ensure accuracy in the preparation of a final version. The Report was finalised in late 2021.

In response to the matters raised in the details supplied, I can confirm to the Deputy that I am aware of the delay in publishing the first report on the operation of the ISL Act. A decision was made to delay publication arising from an ongoing legal matter. I share the view that implementation of the ISL Act will be strengthened following publication of the first report on the operation of the ISL Act.

While the Deputy will be aware that I cannot comment on ongoing legal proceedings, it is a priority of mine that the report be laid before the Houses and published in the earliest possible course.