Minister Hails 'Historic Event' For NI's Deaf Community

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has described the Second Stage of the Sign Language Bill as a historic event for the Deaf community in Northern Ireland.

Prior to the Assembly debate, Minister Lyons met with members of the Deaf community at Parliament Buildings. "I am incredibly grateful to the Deaf community who have travelled to Stormont to watch the progress of a Bill they have helped develop," he said. "It was a privilege to meet them and to understand how the Bill will improve accessibility to information and services for Sign Language users, a long-awaited step forward in achieving the same rights and opportunities as those in the hearing community."

Speaking in the Assembly, Minister Lyons reiterated his commitment to ensuring that members of the Deaf community have the same rights and opportunities as hearing individuals. "Today is a significant step forward...as the Assembly agree the principles of the Sign Language Bill," he stated. The Bill recognises and promotes British Sign Language and Irish Sign Language and places duties on public bodies to take reasonable steps to ensure their information and services are accessible to the Deaf community.

Minister Lyons acknowledged the importance of support infrastructure, particularly interpreter capacity, for the Bill's success. He confirmed that his Department continues to fund accredited BSL/ISL courses across Northern Ireland.

"For too long Deaf people have experienced social exclusion rooted in accessibility barriers, communication challenges and negative societal attitudes," he said. "I believe this Bill will seek to remove those barriers for them and for future generations of the Deaf community. I believe that this Bill is something we can all support."

The Sign Language Bill will now proceed to the Committee for Communities for the next stage of the legislative process. Minister Lyons' Oral Statement to the Assembly is available on the NI Assembly website.