RTÉ is proud to celebrate 50 years of delivering accessible news to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community this week. On January 6, 1975, RTÉ made history by broadcasting its first-ever News for the Deaf, marking a milestone not only for Ireland, but for European broadcasting. The bulletin has evolved today to RTÉ News with ISL, which is broadcast seven days a week and watched by close to 100,000 viewers each day.  

The news bulletin, developed in consultation with the National Association for Deaf People (now Chime), was the first of its kind. Featuring a news announcer summarising the day’s news accompanied by an on-screen script, the initiative was reported as the first in Europe to provide a dedicated daily news service for the Deaf and hard of hearing. Ahead of the launch in 1975, deaf children and adults came to RTÉ and experimented with newsroom staff in the types of presentation style that suited them, from reading the script on screen to lip reading what the presenter was saying.

Watch an extract from RTÉ Archives of 'News for the Deaf' in 1982 as an example of the original format, with the late Colm Connolly reading the news here:  RTÉ Archives | Media | RTÉ Broadcasts First News for the Deaf

Today, RTÉ News with ISL service features a member of the RTÉ News ISL team signing the day’s news headlines in the main news studio, accompanied by an on-screen script, voiced by a news presenter.

Speaking on the anniversary, Deirdre McCarthy, Managing Director of RTÉ News & Current Affairs said: “RTÉ aims to ensure that everyone in Ireland has access to news and information. This 50-year journey is a testament to inclusivity and innovation. We are deeply grateful for the collaboration with organisations like Chime and The Irish Deaf Society that ensure we represent everyone.” 

Lianne Quigley, Chair of the Irish Deaf Society and member of the RTÉ ISL News team said: “It is important to reflect on how far we have come as RTÉ celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first news for the Deaf. Before 1992, RTÉ began its journey with news presented through lip-reading, but the launch of daily ISL news in 1992 was groundbreaking. This milestone paralleled a societal shift in attitudes toward Irish Sign Language. The challenging and long path to ISL recognition in 2017 was a major milestone for inclusion and equality. Daily ISL news remains vital in providing the Deaf community in Ireland with full access to national news in their own language.  

On a personal note, I am delighted to have joined the ISL news team last month—one of the most amazing jobs I could have asked for. It’s a privilege to contribute to this work, continuing to break barriers and ensure representation for the Deaf community" 

Looking ahead, RTÉ remains dedicated to enhancing accessibility to ensure greater access to information for all.