Since my appointment as Minister for Education and Science, I have not had the opportunity of meeting with the Irish Deaf Society. However, officials of my Department have met with representatives of the society in relation to a variety of issues, including the development of literacy schemes for deaf people for which funding of £607,000 is being made available over a five year period.
The Higher Education Authority has recently forwarded its observations on the proposal to establish a Centre for Deaf Studies at Trinity College Dublin. The proposal is now under consideration within my Department.
I would of course be prepared to meet with representatives of the society at a mutually convenient time if such a meeting would be helpful.