Sign Language Bill Committee Stage Consideration Update
This is a written transcript of a video providing an update on the progress on the Committee Stage of the Sign Language Bill.
The information in the video is accurate as of Friday 23 May 2025.
Committee Stage Consideration
The Sign Language Bill was introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly by the Minister for Communities on 10 February 2025.
The Bill completed its second stage on 18 February 2025 and was referred to the Committee for Communities for consideration.
The Sign Language Bill makes provision for:
- official and equal recognition of British Sign Language, or BSL, and Irish Sign Language, ISL, as languages of Northern Ireland.
- a statutory duty to be placed on prescribed public organisations to take reasonable steps to make their services and the information they provide as accessible to individuals in the deaf community as they are to individuals who are not in the deaf community.
- a commitment to promoting the use and understanding of sign languages, including greater access to sign language education for deaf children and their families.
- a framework for accrediting sign language interpreters and teachers, ensuring professional standards and capacity building within the sector.
Call for evidence
As part of the Assembly's legislative processes, the Sign Language Bill has been referred to the Assembly's Committee for Communities, so that it can consider and take evidence on the Bill and report to the Assembly.
The Call for Evidence opened on 7 March and closed on 9 May, and the Committee is currently analysing the responses.
The Committee would like to thank all of those who took the time to submit their views on the Bill.
The Committee will be holding in-person evidence sessions on the Bill, and these will be made available with both BSL and ISL signing as soon as possible after each session.
You can find all the video content related to the Sign Language Bill at the links below this video:
