Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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140. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if consideration will be given to extending the voucher scheme run by the Irish Sign Language (ISL) Interpreting Service and Citizens Information Board to persons under the age of 18, as the scheme is presently only available to ISL users over the age of 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50431/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Irish Sign Language Act 2017, the State recognises the right of Irish Sign Language users to use Irish Sign Language as their native language and the corresponding duty on all public bodies to provide Irish Sign Language users with free interpretation when availing of, or seeking to access, statutory entitlements and services.

The Act assigns responsibilities to the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the funding of a scheme of accreditation for ISL interpreters (Section 7) and the provision of funds to facilitate ISL users with access to specific events, services and other activities, as specified in guidelines (Section 9).

I assigned the implementation of this important responsibility to the Citizens Information Board (CIB), the statutory body under the aegis of my Department, which in turn assigned delivery to its relevant funded company, the Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS).

Following a four-month pilot of an "ISL Voucher Scheme" in 2021 by SLIS, supported by my Department and CIB, I was delighted to see the commencement of the Scheme on a permanent basis from 2nd October 2023.

From the 1st January to the end of August 2025, SLIS administered 425 vouchers to applicants for ISL interpretation for a variety of activities, such as private medical appointments, private legal meetings, educational and training courses, and events with family, friends and the community.

As stipulated under the ISL Act, SLIS developed and published Guidelines in 2024 for the Scheme. As part of this, a Fair Usage Policy was developed to ensure as many eligible people across Ireland as possible can access and benefit from this service. The Fair Usage Policy was also developed given that, like most government funded schemes, the ISL Voucher Scheme has an annual allocated budget.

In relation to your specific issue raised, this Voucher Scheme is available for users of ISL who are aged 18 years old and older, as set out in the scheme’s Guidelines. There are specific legal and policy obligations when providing services to children and young people under 18 which are shaped by national legislation, international conventions, and sector-specific standards. Providing services to persons under 18 is therefore outside of the remit of SLIS.