Ireland: calls for regulating interpretors in legal and medical settings
Labour Party TD Conor Sheehan has urged the Irish Government to create a formal regulatory framework and national standards for professional interpretation in legal and medical settings, arguing that the current lack of regulation places defendants, patients and public confidence at risk. There is currently no statutory register, accredited training, testing or code of ethics for interpreters, meaning that anyone who can speak two languages may be called upon in courts or clinical situations without assurance of competence. Sheehan highlighted a Court of Appeal case in which convictions were quashed due to serious mistranslations, and said the absence of national standards undermines human rights, equality and safety. He called for a statutory register, accredited training, clear professional standards and oversight to protect individuals’ rights and improve justice and healthcare outcomes.