Debate contribution: Sign Language Bill: Further Consideration Stage

Debate contribution by Mr Andy Allen MBE on 20 April 2026.

MLA: Mr Andy Allen MBE
Party at the time: Ulster Unionist Party
Date: 20 April 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Executive Committee Business
Heading: Sign Language Bill: Further Consideration Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5493848

Text

Amendment Nos 1 to 4 make things clearer, so we support them. As the Minister set out, amendment No 1 removes the earlier general provision for classes to be free of charge and replaces it with a more structured approach that retains free access for those under 25, and amendment No 2 replaces previous wording with a reference to "two eligible categories". As was mentioned, those are paving amendments to amendment No 3, which sets out the aforementioned categories clearly. Amendment No 4 finishes that off by removing the earlier subsections to avoid duplication. The amendments will result in two groups being set out in the Bill: those under 25 who are deaf and those aged 25 and over who have become deaf, along with their close families, carers and, for under-25s, guardians. That keeps the original intent, but it lays it out in a better way that is easier to follow and, hopefully, easier to deliver. Amendment No 3 maintains the intent of the original amendment, allowing fees to apply for the second group, retaining the safeguard that income cannot exceed the cost of provision and changing the regulations from negative to affirmative procedure.
Overall, the amendments set out clause 2 more clearly, but, as before, the issue is not entirely one of structure; it is also one of delivery.
The framework will not mean much if the support is not there when people need it. If fees are to apply in some cases, that needs to be handled carefully. Even if they make sense on paper, they cannot become a barrier in practice. The point is simple: the Department needs to ensure that the Bill is properly resourced and that it works in practice. Otherwise, what is set out here will not match what people experience on the ground. In clause 12, amendment Nos 5 to 8 propose some targeted changes to the wording following what the Assembly agreed at Consideration Stage. We did not support that change at the time, and those concerns remain. We will support the amendments that change the definition so that it now covers those who, at any time, use or will ever benefit from the use of British Sign Language or Irish Sign Language for communication. It is clear that those amendments aim to add a bit more clarity while staying within what the Assembly has already agreed. That matters because the definition shapes whom the Bill is aimed at and how it will work in practice. If it is too broad, as we previously highlighted, there is a risk that the focus will be lost, particularly when resources are under pressure. If it is too tight, people get left out. At the minute, it still feels as though that balance has not quite been struck, but we appreciate that the Department is constrained by the Bill as agreed so far and the need to stay true to the will of the House. That does not mean that the Bill will not work, but it means that how it is interpreted and applied will matter. It is also important that the Department make sure that the resources are in place to support delivery. What matters now is delivery, whether people can access support when they need it, whether the provision is consistent and whether it makes a real difference in their day-to-day lives. That is what the Bill will be judged on.

570 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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