Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 January 2023
951. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the report by the National Disability Authority into the operation and implementation of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63433/22]
View answer956. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the report on the operation of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63515/22]
View answer957. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the National Disability Authority will publish its report on the operation of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63523/22]
View answer960. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeframe for the publication of the National Disability Authority report on the operation of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017; the reason as to the delay in publishing the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63736/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 951, 956, 957 and 960 together.
The Irish Sign Language Act 2017 (ISL Act 2017) was signed into law on 24th December 2017 and the Act was commenced jointly by myself as Minister of State with responsibility for Disability and Minister Roderic O’Gorman T.D. as the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, 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. In addition to specific obligations on named Ministers, the Act places a statutory duty on all public bodies to provide ISL users with free ISL 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.
Section 10 of the Act requires that a report on the operation of the Act be prepared 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, the National Disability Authority (NDA) was commissioned to produce the first report on the operation of the Act. A draft Report was submitted to me in mid-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.
There was a delay in publishing the first report on the operation of the ISL Act to avoid prejudicing an ongoing legal matter. However, publication of the report was kept under review throughout 2022 and following engagement between my department and other relevant departments it was determined that publication could now occur.
The Report was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 12 January 2023 and published on the website of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth on 13 January 2023.
The first report on the operation of the ISL Act contains recommendations to strengthen the implementation of the ISL Act, and a whole of Government approach will be required in considering next steps in this regard.
