Vol. 522 No. 2
457 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on the submission by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 which seeks 15 hours of Irish sign language for the coming school year as the basis for provision of appropriate education to relevant deaf children. [18123/00]
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has sanctioned 7.5 hours Irish sign language support tuition per week for the period 1 July to 31 August 2000, as an exceptional measure, to the family in question.
A further one hour per week Irish sign language support has also been sanctioned, throughout the school year, for this family.
I understand that the children of this family are pupils of St. Joseph's Special School for hearing impaired boys, Cabra. My Department has allocated two special needs assistant posts to this school to facilitate an Irish sign language programme in the school. The pupils in question will also avail of this programme.
I have asked my Department's inspectorate to keep these arrangements under review.
In 1999 my Department sanctioned a grant of £607,000 for the Irish Deaf Society to develop a service, over a five year period, to address the particular literacy needs of deaf people throughout Ireland.
The Deputy will also be aware that I intend to establish a representative advisory committee to offer guidance to my Department on a range of key issues, including Irish sign language tuition, relating to the future education of the deaf community.
