Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 2 Oct 1996

Vol. 469 No. 3

Written Answers. - Education for Deaf People.

Seamus Brennan

Question:

117 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the lack of adult education opportunities for deaf people due to the cost of hiring sign language interpreters which can be a minimum of £30 per hour; if she will favourably consider proposals from representatives of deaf clubs to support the hiring of sign language interpreters for courses which deaf clubs could organise in car maintenance, English, support for unemployed and other such courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17207/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

My Department is aware of the need to provide as far as possible for the educational requirements of hearing impaired adults.

My Department provides funding for education programmes for disadvantage adults. There is, however, no specific funding allocated under these schemes for the purpose in question and in the light of the demands on available resources I regret that it would not be possible at this stage to provide such funds.

Approval has recently been given by my Department for the secondment on full pay of a primary school teacher to the National Association of the Deaf for the purposes of training tutors of lip-reading.