Vol. 449 No. 8
24 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Health the steps, if any, he will take to ensure the provision of an adequate number of counsellors, specifically trained in sign language, to counsel deaf children, particularly in cases of abuse. [2733/95]
Limerick East): My Department has recently approved a grant of £125,000 per annum for the next three years to the National Association for the Deaf towards the establishment of a pilot family support service. The service will provide counselling and support to deaf children and their parents. Four counsellors are being recruited and they will receive training in the counselling of abuse victims and will be expected to develop competent sign language communication skills. The service will initially focus on deaf children who are in residential units attached to the schools for the deaf in Dublin.
