Sign Language Legislation

Sign Language Bill 

The Department worked closely with the Deaf Community towards this commitment, with Minister Gordon Lyons introducing the Sign Language Bill to the Assembly in February 2025. The Bill is currently with the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Communities Committee for its scrutiny.

This Explanatory and Financial Memorandum has been prepared by the Department for Communities to assist with the understanding of the Northern Ireland Sign Language Bill and to help inform debate on it. It does not form part of the Bill and has not been endorsed by the Assembly.

The Bill makes provision for the recognition and promotion of British Sign Language and Irish Sign Language with associated duties placed on listed prescribed public organisations, including to take reasonable steps to ensure that the sorts of information and services provided by it are as accessible to individuals in the deaf community as to those individuals who are not in the deaf community.

The draft Sign Language Bill was approved by the NI Executive on 23 January 2025. Its First Stage Introduction to the Assembly was on 10 February 2025. It was approved by the NI Assembly following its Second Stage Introduction by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons on 18 February 2025. The Bill is now with the Communities Committee for Scrutiny Stage and the Committee has put out a call for evidence during this Stage. DfC Officials will assist the Committee with its scrutiny of the Bill.

The Explanatory and Financial Memorandum can be read on the NI Assembly website.

BSL video

ISL video

These videos are a visual representation of the text of the Explanatory and Financial Memorandum as published on the NI Assembly website.