The Irish Sign Language Act 2017 was signed into law on 24th December 2017 and 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.
I am committed to the implementation of the ISL Act and would emphasise in particular its importance to the continuous advancement of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Ratified by Ireland in 2018, the UNCRPD articulates a range of economic and social rights, including those related to accessibility. Article 9 in particular notes stipulates that "States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas."
Where ISL is a crucial facet of accessibility for the d/Deaf community, this will be a consideration under the next National Disability Strategy, committed to in the Programme for Government as a plan for the further implementation of the UNCRPD in Ireland. My Department has made every effort to ensure that the recently closed public consultation process for the next National Disability Strategy was fully accessible to the d/Deaf community, with ISL interpreters present at all stakeholder events, for instance.
As with the ISL Act, the UNCRPD is advanced on the basis of mainstream delivery, meaning that each public body is responsible for its observance in the discharge of their functions. Under the next National Disability Strategy, actions related to the improvement of accessibility will be a matter for whole-of-government consideration, and with each public body responsible for their own obligations.
