Statement by TUV Fermanagh and South Tyrone Assembly candidate Alex Elliott:
“Due to the failure of devolution in Northern Ireland there are many important needs which are overlooked. The needs of the hearing impaired are a case in point.
“They deserve greater focus on the development of sign language services. In Northern Ireland sign language provision falls far short of that in other parts of the UK.
“In Scotland for example the British Sign Language Bill requires Ministers to develop a national plan for BSL and places an obligation on public-sector bodies to prepare and publish their own plans with the aim of increasing awareness of BSL (British Sign Language) and its use in the delivery of services.
“TUV strongly believes that we should bring in similar legislation in Northern Ireland.”