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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 5 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 3

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hearing Aids Provision.

Jim Higgins

Question:

5 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education if she will make resources available immediately to provide essential hearing aids for deaf and multi-handicapped children at Marian School at the St. Mary's School complex for the hearing impaired, Cabra, Dublin 7; if she will replace the obsolete 30 year old group hearing aids in other sections of the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

I am aware of the special equipment needs of this school and these are being responded to on an ongoing basis. We have already, and continue to, respond to their needs.

In 1992, my Department allocated £14,000 to St. Mary's to facilitate the replacement of existing equipment in the complex. Another £14,000 will be provided to the schools this year to enable further updating of equipment to take place.

It is a matter for the board of management, in consultation with the National Rehabilitation Board and the Department's inspectorate, to decide on the precise apportionment of resources within the St. Mary's complex, which includes the Marian School, Rosary School and St. Mary's. The schools have welcomed the Department's allocation.

Is the Minister aware that, while the schools have welcomed her allocation, it constitutes small change in comparison with the actual problem prevailing? Is the Minister aware that today — and I have confirmed this with the Marian School authorities — there are four primary school classes who have no group hearing aids whatsoever? Does she realise that when the teacher uses a microphone which can be heard simultaneously by the entire class, he or she must move around, approaching individuals who have individual hearing aids, and communicating by shouting to them on a one-to-one basis? Does the Minister not accept that, in these circumstances, instead of 30-year-old obsolete equipment, what is needed is an immediate injection of cash for the installation of modern, up-to-date equipment in this school complex?

Deputy Jim Higgins has informed me that there are four classrooms in which the equipment is in need of repair. We are assured that the allocation of £14,000 will be sufficient to cover two classrooms. Therefore, it will clearly be seen that this year we shall be improving the equipment in an additional two classrooms. I would suggest that it is a slight over-exaggeration to suggest that a school for the deaf is operating obsolete equipment. Deputy Higgins, I am sure, will be pleased to learn that I spent some of my teaching years with the deaf. To shout at children who are deaf, while it may be the manner in which we communicate in this House, is not good practice in communication skills. In addition to the amount of money being available to this school I might add that 40 per cent of the money allocated for special education aids is given to hearing-impaired children's schools. Of course, some hearing-impaired children are catered for in that Cabra complex but there are also St. Joseph's and other schools. Some £30,000 have been allocated to Cabra, divided between the schools there, and there is a deaf unit in Ennis which is funded. Another interesting point — since we have been alerted to the need to ascertain whether we should plan for the forthcoming 30 years in order to ensure that equipment now being installed will not be obsolete then — is that £40,000 is spent on radio aids, a new procedural departure, which allows certain categories of deaf children to participate within a hearing classroom-type forum, when both children and teacher wear aids. Furthermore, 40 of those aids have been made available, resulting in a reduction in enrolment in deaf schools, something that is under review. I might remind Members that, while the equipment certainly is not modern, it needs to be minded and maintained to ensure that the children using it benefit therefrom. For instance, £40,000 was made available to the National Rehabilitation Board who send a person out to schools to maintain the equipment. I can assure Deputy Higgins that that person actually attends St. Mary's two days every week.

We have dwelt on these two questions for an inordinate amount of time. If the remaining questions are to be dealt with, they must be responded to now.

May I invite the Minister to visit the school to see at first hand the problems these people are at present experiencing, trying to teach Leaving Certificate/Junior Certificate courses with totally inadequate equipment?

Having looked at my diary I certainly shall consider visiting the school. I shall be delighted to return and meet people who trained with me, when I am sure they will be delighted to see me.

——or keep them in check.

I never do that.

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