Fine Gael TD for Dún Laoghaire, Mary Mitchell O’Connor said today (Wednesday) that the broadcast of Leaders Questions in the Dáil through sign language is a very progressive step.

“This is an important development for the Deaf community in Ireland and one that could be replicated in other parts of Oireachtas broadcasting.

“There are over 90,000 people with deafness or a serious hearing impairment in Ireland who need support to help access crucial information about services, government support and other key issues. The decision to broadcast Leaders Questions in the Dáil through sign language is an important step in this process.

“The provision of sign language for Leaders Questions on Oireachtas TV is a pilot scheme, which is being carried out for six weeks. It comes after a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children on Thursday, 28th May, at which I encouraged my colleagues to officially recognise Deafblindness as a disability. The Committee meeting was the first ever time that sign language interpreters were used in a Committee meeting. It was also the first time that simultaneous sign language was used in a broadcast to the deaf community.”