Eleanor Burnham, Assembly Member for North Wales has reacted strongly to the news that ITV Wales is planning to withdraw its flagship sign language news headlines on 'Wales Tonight' from Friday, 6th February.
Eleanor, Welsh Lib Dem Shadow Minister for Culture and Equality said, "This is an outrageous decision which it seems has been taken without any consultation with deaf people at all, which is appalling.
"ITV must realise that for many people sign language is a vital communication link. Sign language can often be a person's first language. To remove this signing facility after twenty three years simply so that Wales can fall in line with the English regions beggars belief. If anything, English regions should be following the Welsh model and providing signed news headlines as well.
"I have today tabled a Statement of Opinion in the Assembly calling on ITV to reinstate the signed news headlines as a matter of urgency."