{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/sign-language-act-northern-ireland-2026/section-2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/sign-language-act-northern-ireland-2026/section-2.json",
  "legislation": "nia/2026/7",
  "legislation_title": "Sign Language Act (Northern Ireland) 2026",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/sign-language-act-northern-ireland-2026",
  "path": "section/2",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "2",
  "heading": "Promotion of interests by lead department",
  "text": "(1) The Department for Communities must promote, to such extent (and in such manner) as the Department considers appropriate—\n(a) the greater use and understanding of British Sign Language and Irish Sign Language,\n(b) the general entitlement of individuals in the deaf community to use British Sign Language or Irish Sign Language as necessary or convenient in the course of everyday activities, and\n(c) the further development by the deaf community, as taken collectively, of the deaf community’s culture as broadly identifiable by reference to (but not solely by reference to) use of British Sign Language or Irish Sign Language.\n(2) Without prejudice to the generality of this section, the greater use and understanding of British Sign Language or Irish Sign Language is to be promoted by the Department through making (or entering into) arrangements for ensuring the availability of classes—\n(a) taught by accredited teachers or other suitable persons, and\n(b) for people in the two eligible categories to learn (or improve proficiency in) the Language.\n(3) The first eligible category comprises—\n(a) persons under 25 years of age who are deaf, and\n(b) their close families, guardians and carers.\n(4) The second eligible category comprises—\n(a) persons aged 25 or over who have become deaf, and\n(b) their close families and carers.\n(5) Persons in the first eligible category must be allowed to participate free of charge in classes available under this section to persons in that category.\n(6) The Department may by regulations prescribe fees to be payable by persons in the second eligible category for participating in classes available under this section to persons in that category.\n(7) Fees prescribed in regulations under this section are to be set with the aim of ensuring that, in any financial year, the income from such fees does not exceed the overall costs of providing classes under this section to persons in the second eligible category.\n(8) Regulations under this section may not be made unless a draft of them has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 2 not in operation at Royal Assent, see s. 15(1)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I2",
      "text": "S. 2 in operation at 23.9.2026 by S.R. 2026/162, art. 2(b)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2026/7/section/2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:18:57.659830+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}