Miss-Delectable
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- Apr 18, 2004
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Deaf deserving of better services - Letters - News - Belfast Telegraph
Imagine having to visit the doctor or the dentist and not being able to communicate your symptoms without the presence of an interpreter.
Imagine needing an interpreter present to help you shop for anything that requires a conversation with a salesperson.
And all of this in the country where you were born, a country where your language is not valued, where your minority status means that staff working in public services are under no obligation to attempt to communicate in your language.
No, I am not talking about Irish or Ulster Scots - there are no speakers of Irish or Ulster-Scots who are incapable of speaking English should they desire to do so. But for many deaf citizens of this country, sign language is the only way that they can easily communicate.
At a party over Christmas I met a lady who was deaf and we were incapable of communicating until her friend, who understood sign language, acted as interpreter. During the time I spent with these two people I was appalled to discover that the services we provide in this country for deaf people are so poor.
The current funding for Irish is over £6m, and this sum does not include the money spent on Irish language schools.
In addition, we have had a massive increase in the money spent on Ulster Scots. Can some of our MLAs tell us what comparable funding is being spent on providing sign language training for medical and other public service staff?
For our deaf citizens to be able to communicate in their native and only language is a right that has been too long neglected.
A J C Belfast
Imagine having to visit the doctor or the dentist and not being able to communicate your symptoms without the presence of an interpreter.
Imagine needing an interpreter present to help you shop for anything that requires a conversation with a salesperson.
And all of this in the country where you were born, a country where your language is not valued, where your minority status means that staff working in public services are under no obligation to attempt to communicate in your language.
No, I am not talking about Irish or Ulster Scots - there are no speakers of Irish or Ulster-Scots who are incapable of speaking English should they desire to do so. But for many deaf citizens of this country, sign language is the only way that they can easily communicate.
At a party over Christmas I met a lady who was deaf and we were incapable of communicating until her friend, who understood sign language, acted as interpreter. During the time I spent with these two people I was appalled to discover that the services we provide in this country for deaf people are so poor.
The current funding for Irish is over £6m, and this sum does not include the money spent on Irish language schools.
In addition, we have had a massive increase in the money spent on Ulster Scots. Can some of our MLAs tell us what comparable funding is being spent on providing sign language training for medical and other public service staff?
For our deaf citizens to be able to communicate in their native and only language is a right that has been too long neglected.
A J C Belfast