People with hearing loss or impairments should be supported to engage with local government.
Longford Councillor Uruemu Adejinmi has called for the introduction of Irish Sign Language supports for those with hearing impairments wanting to engage with council meetings.
In a motion presented to the local authority's May meeting, Councillor Adejinmi called for an ISL interpreter to be present at all meetings to increase accessibility.
The move was welcomed by her fellow councillors, with the executive committing to exploring the request for those interested in using such a service.
The Fianna Fail representative says the provision of an interpreter at the recent Granard Booktown Festival showed her the importance of the support:
'There are things that you just go along with and don't realize the significance of it . It wasn't until the first day of the festival where I actually witnessed people present at the event interacting with the ISL interpreter that made me realize how important it is to make every event and festival, every meeting, every space as inclusive as possible. That is where we are going towards with all our efforts to make sure everybody feels included and part of the community.'
