Language policy must do more on sign language – McCarthy

Alliance Culture spokesperson Kieran McCarthy MLA has called on the Culture Minister Gregory Campbell to do more on sign language as part of any future language policy, and he said that the debate should not be allowed to turn into a political football.

Kieran McCarthy MLA said: “All we ever hear from nationalist and unionist politicians is arguments about Irish and Ulster-Scots, but what about sign language which is the only method for some people to communicate?

“I want open up the debate to take in sign language and other languages used in Northern Ireland, not just Irish and Ulster-Scots.

“Other parties have turned the language debate into a political football while neglecting languages that are the often the only language that some people use. We would like to see sign language receiving as much protection as is given to Irish or Ulster-Scots.”

ENDS