Vol. 574 No. 1
434 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received correspondence from the Irish Deaf Society recently; and his views following this correspondence on their demand for recognition for Irish Sign Language. [26310/03]
435 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will respond to the Irish Deaf Society to clarify which Government Department is responsible for dealing with the issue of official recognition of Irish Sign Language. [26311/03]
436 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the Minister responsible for dealing with the issue of official recognition of Irish sign language. [26312/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 434 to 436, inclusive, together.
In its deliberations, the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities considered the recognition of sign languages. The commission received a broad range of submissions from different disability organisations and from individuals, including proposals for the recognition of Irish sign language as the language of deaf citizens and for education to be provided to deaf children through Irish sign language. Arising from its deliberations, the commission made 402 separate recommendations, including proposals relating to sign language. The commission did not recommend Irish sign language as an official language or specify a particular form of sign language to be used – two forms of sign language are commonly in use in this country.
Recognising sign language is a matter for a number of Ministers and the matter is being actively pursued by them. I understand that the Education Act 1998 has made provision for support services in respect of students learning through Irish sign language or any other sign language, including interpreting services. Further, I also understand that Comhairle, which operates under the aegis of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs has provided funding to Irish Sign Link to provide sign language interpretation services. The two official languages of the State are set down in Article 8 of the Constitution as Irish and English. The Constitutional Review Group which reported in 1996 did not advocate the addition of any further languages. There are no proposals either in the Report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities or in my Department to give recognition to any other language as an official language.
