Written answers

Wednesday, 18 January 2023

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Disability Services

Photo of Michael LowryMichael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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1004. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will investigate the reason an organisation is refusing to accommodate a person (details supplied) who is deaf with an interpreter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2073/23]

Photo of Anne RabbitteAnne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Accessibility is an essential precondition for ensuring that people with disabilities, including those with hearing difficulties, can fully participate in our society. As such, the promotion of accessibility is an important priority for this Government.

However, I have no remit as Minister of State with responsibility for Disability to formally investigate a complaint of this kind. As a result, I am not in a position to advise directly on the matters raised by the Deputy.

I would instead direct the Deputy, and the person referred to in his question, to anti-discrimination processes set out in law.

The Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 prohibit discrimination and harassment on specified grounds, including that of disability, in the access to and supply of goods and services. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) have a statutory function in providing information to the public in relation to human rights and equality and providing practical assistance to persons in vindicating their rights.

The independent, statutory body established to hear complaints in relation to both employment equality and equal status legislation is the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). For information on how to refer a complaint to the WRC, one may consult IHREC or also contact the WRC directly.

Regarding the provision of Irish Sign Language, the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 (ISL Act 2017) was signed into law on 24th December 2017 and the Act was commenced jointly by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O' Gorman T.D., and I on 23rd December 2020, following the transfer of equality functions from the Minister for Justice.

The Act recognises the right of ISL users to use ISL as their native language, and to develop and preserve it. Of relevance to the case highlighted by the Deputy, Section 9 of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 gives power to the Minister for Social Protection to establish a support scheme to allow access to ISL users free interpretation to access events, services, and activities. In 2021, the Citizens Information Board (CIB) and the Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS) launched a pilot project, supported by the Department of Social Protection, which involved the creation of a Voucher Scheme for users of Irish Sign Language (ISL) to access free ISL interpreting for social, educational and cultural events and services (including medical) and other activities.

Initially, it was planned that the Irish Sign Language (ISL) Voucher Scheme Pilot Project 2021 would run for a 3-month period, from 30 June 2021 to 30 September 2021. However, an additional month (October 2021) was subsequently added. An evaluation of the pilot was completed in July 2022, commissioned by CIB. Findings from the evaluation are under consideration and will form part of any future voucher scheme. CIB is currently exploring with SLIS the options as to how a Voucher Scheme can be rolled out, using lessons from the pilot.

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