Vital steps to ensure equality for Deaf in community

An exciting new initiative was announced at the Cork Deaf Association HQ on MacCurtain Street on Monday, promoting the use of Irish Sign Language in the public sector.

The organisation received a huge boost to their campaign from Rethink Ireland, who have contributed €65,000 towards it, and the team sounded dedicated and self-assured, as they delivered their plan to the attendees.

Susan O’Callaghan, Cork Deaf Association Advocacy Officer delivered an impassioned speech highlighting what the training will cover, namely Deaf Culture, Legal Obligations, Irish Sign Language, Supports and Communication.

Ms O’Callaghan noted: “Now is the right time to celebrate everything that’s been achieved up to now,” adding that they were focused on “rights and our inclusion in society”.

The Irish Sign Language Act was enacted in 2017, however, it was noted that not many people know what the act entails and that this needs to be more widely advertised to those in healthcare and in public services such as county councils.

Ms O’Callaghan pointed out that “just 3% of public bodies report full compliance with the act”, while “only 5% of the Deaf Community rate public services as ‘Good’.” She made it clear that ISL Interpreters “must be qualified and accredited” to ensure decent communication for those that rely on the language.

Marta Sofia, Deaf Awareness Engagement Officer Coordinator, told us that they have, to date, trained up to 500 people in public services like the Passport Office and Revenue, in supports for their deaf customers and that “This is a continuous development module.”

Project Lead, Brenda Quigg she had seen “first-hand, the barriers that deaf people face every day”, and that this inspired her to develop the module with the HSE and and Rethink Ireland.

She aims to let HSE staff know about this training to help patients struggling to communicate.

Ms Quigg noted that it is all about “educating public services on the rights of deaf people.” She highlighted the importance of “understanding the barriers and taking practical steps” to tackle them.

I myself am deaf and on a recent hospital appointment, the nurse often called my name from around the corner, rather than facing me, which I can tell you, as someone who relies on a lot of lip-reading and facial expression, was an issue.

Deaf people often need to see you because they cannot hear you. Ms Quigg pointed out how “treating deaf people with respect and dignity, in a welcoming, acceptable environment makes for a big difference in their experience”.

She stressed that these steps are “a right, not a favour” and there should be no “exclusion in healthcare. Deaf people should be respected and included.”.

In attendance on Monday was Cork TD and Minister of State for Rural and Community Development, Charities and Transport, Jerry Buttimer, who launched the project as part of International Week of the Deaf.

Mr Buttimer is a long-standing good friend of the Cork Deaf Awareness Association and knew many of the community through his time working as a school teacher.

He gave a heartfelt speech, stressing that “we shouldn’t have to be talking about being part of an inclusive society” as it should have been achieved by now. He added: “We have a duty, as policy-makers, to make our society an inclusive one, where we can all live together.”

He commended the Cork Deaf Awareness Association for their training of 500 staff, calling it “an extraordinary achievement”, and promised to emphasise the need for support for the Deaf Community in Ireland to Taoiseach, Micheál Martin.

Minister Buttimer suggested it might be worth the while of members of the Oireachtas to learn ISL and be educated in what supports the Deaf Community need.

He vowed: “We will work with you to build on the work you have done, to raise awareness and educate people more,” concluding that “there is strength in being together”.

There will also be an online training platform for the HSE, which will see the upskilling of 10,000 HSE staff in the Cork and Kerry region alone.

Irish Sign Language (ISL) is officially recognised as Ireland’s Third Language, as per the Irish Sign Language Act of 2017. The act reserves the right of the Deaf Community to “preserve and develop the language”.

It also established the right for ISL to be used in any court and notes that it is the responsibility of the courts to do all that’s reasonable to ensure that deaf and hearing impaired people are not at a disadvantage in this setting.

The full text of the Irish Sign Language Act can be found in The Irish Statute Book.

There was a powerful theme at this year’s launch, making it clear that there are no human rights without Sign Language dights, which shows that the language is about “equality and meaningful inclusion”

I had a great chat with Terence Rea, Social Worker at Cork Deaf, and he gave me some advice about learning to swim, as a hearing aid wearer.

It’s exciting to know that is not something beyond the realms of possibility, which I had previously thought, and it looks like I will be learning ISL myself, in the New Year, at the HQ on MacCurtain Street.

It was a wonderful morning of hope and togetherness. We are so lucky to have the Cork Deaf Association.