SUMMARY OF WRITTEN SUBMISSION 
FROM BRITISH DEAF ASSOCIATION

(NORTHERN IRELAND) –
Sign Language Bill

The Northern Ireland Assembly is 
debating the Sign Language Bill.

To help them do this, its Communities
Committee asked for feedback from any

person or group – either via video 
on WhatsApp or in writing.

The BDA (NI) submitted a written 
response and this is a summary of

what that included.

BDA fully agrees with the proposed new 
law with one exception (more on that later).

However, we are calling for the Bill to 
go even further and will give more details below.

1)	Do you feel Clause 1 goes far enough 
in formally recognising BSL and ISL as

languages of Northern Ireland?

BDA believes yes Clause 1 of the Bill is 
strong enough. The Bill will give Sign Language

the same rights as other spoken languages 
such as Irish and Ulster Scots while not

affecting or impacting other important 
laws that might apply to an individual -

such as the Disability Discrimination Act 
or Human Rights Acts.

The Act will also bring NI in line with 
other parts of the UK where Sign Language

is already given equal status.

2)	Do you feel Clause 2 goes far enough
in promoting the use of BSL and ISL and

developing deaf culture?

BDA welcomes the approach of viewing 
signing not as a disability issue but a

linguistic minority matter. 
However, we notice that decisions

are often made in relation to deaf services 
or sign language services without meaningful

deaf input. We want to see a more 
robust way of including Deaf signers in

the process of planning, delivering and 
evaluating. We want to see a commitment

to invest in developing 
Deaf leadership in these areas.

We also welcome the proposal that 
sign language classes for families with

Deaf children will become 
a statutory provision.

BDA advised on the need for Deaf signers 
to be able to use technological advances,

in the same way VRS became crucial 
during the Covid pandemic and increased

use of BSL/ISL in the media and schools. 
We also repeated the important of

Deaf signers being involved and leading 
at all stages of the introduction of these

new ways of working.

We also said the Department for 
Communities should support members

of the deaf community to develop their 
skills and capacities towards taking

leadership roles in designing and 
delivering policies to implement

access to sign language.