KerryDeaf Resource Centre

IRISH SIGN LANGUAGE BILL

We are thrilled to let you know that the Government has agreed to finalise the Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill on Thursday, the 14th of December. The Dáil have confirmed it will debate the final stages at approx. 5pm. This will be an historical day for everyone who has worked so hard to secure official recognition of Irish Sign Language (ISL).

If the Bill passes all the relevant stages, it will be sent back to the Seanad on Friday as a matter of procedure. From there, it will be sent to the President of Ireland who will sign it into Law.

WELL DONE TO THE IRISH DEAF SOCIETY (IDS) & SENATOR MARK DALY: We would like to send our congratulations, best wishes & sincere thanks to the Irish Deaf Society (IDS) & Senator Mark Daly who have campaigned on this civil rights issue for many, many years.

The IDS along with supporters from across Ireland have worked so hard over the years for official recognition and we are led to believe that all this hard work will pay off on Thursday.

We know they will be celebrating on Thursday once all stages have been passed. They, along with 80 other ISL campaigners will be watching the debate live in the Dáil. Our Manager, Willie White will also travel to Dublin to celebrate with the IDS.

WHAT WILL THE NEW ISL LAW MEAN FOR THE DEAF COMMUNITY? The new ISL Act will finally officially recognise ISL as an official language in Ireland. ISL users will have legal rights to access Government Departments, Public Bodies & any court through ISL. The costs of interpretation will be covered by the Government Dept./Public Body/Courts. These new rights will allow Deaf people equal access to services through ISL & give them civil rights that they have campaigned to secure for so many years.

HOW WILL THE GOVERNMENT ENSURE INTERPRETERS ARE QUALIFIED? Public Bodies will be required to use interpreters that have been accredited by a scheme funded by a particular Government Dept. "A court or a public body, in compliance with its obligations under this Act, shall not engage the services of a person providing Irish Sign Language interpretation unless the person’s competence has been verified by having been accredited in accordance with an accreditation scheme funded by the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

WHAT SERVICES WILL COME UNDER A PUBLIC BODY? In the new ISL Act, public bodies will include:

(a) a Department of State (other than, in relation to the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces) for which a Minister of the Government is responsible;

(b) a local authority within the meaning of the Local Government Act 2001;

(c) the Health Service Executive;

(d) a university or institute of technology;

(e) an education and training board established under section 9 of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013;

(f) any other person, body or organisation established-- (i) by or under an enactment (other than the Companies Acts) or charter, (ii) by any Scheme administered by a Minister of the Government, or (iii) under the Companies Acts in pursuance of powers conferred by or under another enactment, and financed wholly or partly by means of money provided, or loans made or guaranteed, by a Minister of the Government or the issue of shares held by or on behalf of a Minister of the Government;

(g) a company (within the meaning of the Companies Acts) a majority of the shares in which are held by or on behalf of a Minister of the Government;

(h) any other person, body, organisation or group financed wholly or partly out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas that stands prescribed for the time being (being a person, body, organisation or group that, in the opinion of the Minister, ought, in the public interest and having regard to the provisions and spirit of this Act, to be prescribed).

USE OF IRISH SIGN LANGUAGE IN LEGAL PROCEEDING - Once the Law is passed, a person may use Irish Sign Language in, or in any pleading in, any court.

KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR THE 14TH OF DECEMBER.

Best of luck to everyone on Thursday. Let’s hope their campaign to secure a new Law is a success. We hope to be celebrating with the IDS on Thursday.

OUR CONTACT DETAILS:

Kerry Deaf Resource Centre, 4 Gas Terrace, Tralee, Co. Kerry, V92 Y409

To make a donation (Charity No: CHY20854). You can send a cheque or postal order to our postal address above. All donations greatly appreciated. We also accept online donations at: https://www.gofundme.com/ kerrydeafresource Kerry Deaf Resource Centre (KDRC) provides services to Deaf and hard of hearing people at county level and contributes to national & international issues of equality, access and rights.

Tel: 066 712 0399 Text: 087 633 4687 E-mail: kdrc@eircom. net Facebook: www.facebook. com/kerrydeaf VIS- Video Interpreting/Information Service: (by appointment) FaceTime: 087 633 4687 or kdrc@eircom.net Skype: kerrydeaf Website: www. kerrydeaf.com