Written Answers Nos. 137-162
137. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of a project (details supplied) in County Kildare under the leadership of Kildare County Council given the timeframes involved in its completion. [28626/21]
View answerPlanning approval for development of the Barrow Blueway from Lowtown to Athy (46km) was received in March 2019.
The project objectives are to:
(1) Provide upgraded and new physical infrastructure in accordance with planning permission;
(2) Provision of infrastructure to achieve ‘Accredited Blueway’ status for the route;
(3) Co-ordinate marketing activity to maximise the potential of the Blueway.
The project is being delivered through the partnership of Waterways Ireland, Kildare County Council and Laois County Council for a total project cost of €6.75 million.
The Barrow Blueway in Counties Kildare and Laois is currently under construction and is progressing well. Surfacing works are complete from Castlemitchell, Athy, Co Kildare to Vicarstown, Co. Laois and also from Lowtown, Co. Kildare to Glenaree, Co. Kildare.
Progress on the project was delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions and project completion is now expected by the end of 2022.
138. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to upgrade the IT system in his Department and bodies under his aegis with a view to maximising the protection against hackers. [28689/21]
View answerMy Department recognises that maintaining an up to date and secure IT system is of central importance in ensuring the safety and integrity of its business systems, files and data. This is achieved through a combination of Business Continuity Planning, Disaster Recovery planning, cyber security measures and ensuring that suitable infrastructure and systems are in place across multiple sites. For security reasons, my Department does not comment on details of any IT upgrade plans.
My Department does not hold the requested information in respect of the State Bodies under its aegis. These State Bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas at the email addresses set out in the table attached.
|
State Body |
Contact E-mail Address |
|
An Bord Pleanála |
oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum) |
info@nationalwaterforum.ie |
|
Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority |
info@ahbregulator.ie |
|
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum |
infodocklands@dublincity.ie |
|
Ervia |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@ervia.ie |
|
Heritage Council |
oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
publicreps@housingagency.ie |
|
Irish Water |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Land Development Agency |
oireachtas@lda.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
corporate@lgma.ie |
|
National Oversight and Audit Commission |
info@noac.ie |
|
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
ntacc@housing.gov.ie |
|
Office of the Planning Regulator |
oireachtas@opr.ie |
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland |
Oireachtas@osi.ie |
|
Property Registration Authority |
reps@prai.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Valuation Office |
oireachtas.enquiries@VALOFF.ie |
|
Valuation Tribunal |
info@valuationtribunal.ie |
|
Water Advisory Body |
info@wab.gov.ie |
|
Waterways Ireland |
ceoffice@waterwaysireland.org |
139. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if additional security measures will be taken to impede and prevent the intrusion of hackers in his Department’s IT system and to ensure an early warning system is in place which will trigger an ultimate defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28707/21]
View answerMy Department acknowledges that IT security is of critical importance in protecting against unauthorised access of its IT system. In recognition of this, cyber security is applied at all times in line with best practice standards and guidelines in conjunction with advisories issued by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and the National Cyber Security Centre of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. For security reasons, my Department does not comment on details of its IT security measures.
141. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the signing by the European Commission of a €384 million contract for a Covid-19 vaccine with a company (details supplied) on 18 September 2020 despite the company not being advanced in its vaccine production and in view of the fact it has not produced a vaccine; if he has raised this matter with the Commission given it is a cause for concern here in view of the size of the contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28408/21]
View answerIreland is participating in an EU procurement process with a view to accessing a portfolio of candidate vaccines against COVID-19 which are being negotiated with vaccine manufacturers by the European Commission acting on behalf of Member States. My colleague, the Minister for Health, has responsibility for securing the supply of vaccines for Ireland through the EU procurement process.
COVID-19 vaccines can only be approved and used if they comply with all the requirements of quality, safety and efficacy set out in the EU pharmaceutical legislation. No vaccine will be used until a Conditional Marketing Authorisation (CMA) from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is obtained and any authorised vaccine will be subject to ongoing monitoring in Ireland by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
The Commission signed six Advance Purchase Agreements (APA) with manufacturers prior to any COVID-19 vaccines receiving authorisation for use in the EU. To date, four of those vaccines, BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen/J&J have received a CMA and are being supplied and administered as part of the rollout of Ireland’s COVID-19 vaccination programme. Ireland has the option to opt-in to the Sanofi APA, if and when the vaccine receives CMA.
Ireland supports the common EU approach to the procurement of vaccines, which ensures that our citizens get access to safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19. Without it, it is most unlikely smaller countries like ours would have the supply levels we are currently forecasting.
142. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of the recently announced €1.5 million funding which will be made available to ensure access to education in occupied Palestine in view of the challenges of access to education for Palestinian children, as demonstrated by UNICEF 2018 State of Palestine- Country report on out-of-school children report. [28409/21]
View answerThe plight of children in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) has been at the centre of Ireland’s response to the recent hostilities. As Minister Coveney stated at the UN Security Council on 16 May, children must never be made prisoners of history.
Ireland has a longstanding commitment to improving access to and the quality of education in the oPt. Education has been central to our international development programme in the oPt for many years and, along with a number of other donors, we work with the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Education (PA) to build the capacity of Palestinian educational institutions. This includes support for curriculum development and educational reform. Ireland invests €3 million in this area annually.
Ireland has also contributed €6.85 million since 2019 to Education Cannot Wait (ECW), a global fund which supports the education needs of children and youth caught up in emergencies and protracted crises. ECW supports education in the oPt through a three-year educational response programme which was developed with the PA Ministry of Education, UN Agencies and other stakeholders. ECW works through UNICEF to provide safe learning spaces, sanitation facilities, and training for teachers on child-centred teaching methods and special learning needs, as well as psychosocial support to children.
Ireland also supports the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which is mandated to provide services – including education - to Palestine refugees across a number of fields of operation, including the oPt. 526,000 refugee children are educated in 711 UNRWA-run schools. In March of this year, Minister Coveney signed a three-year agreement with UNRWA under which we committed to provide the agency with €6 million per year for three years to support their important work.
In addition, each year Ireland provides Fellowships for young, high-potential Palestinians to study for a Master’s Degree at an Irish Higher Education Institution. At present 25 of these Fellowships are awarded each year across a range of disciplines.
In May 2021, Minister Coveney announced that Ireland would provide €1.5 million in emergency humanitarian support for the oPt following the recent hostilities. This includes €500,000 for UNICEF, which will be used for child protection, and the provision of medical and sanitation services to thousands of children in acute need. UNICEF will also provide emergency psycho-social services to 5000 children suffering trauma as a result of the hostilities. This will bring Ireland’s total funding to UNICEF for its global work programme to €7.7 million in 2021.
The other €1 million is additional support to UNRWA to assist it in providing emergency food, water and sanitation supplies, as well as health and psychosocial services for people affected by the hostilities. It brings Ireland’s total funding to UNRWA in 2021 to €7 million.
I can assure the Deputy that the plight of children is and will remain at the centre of our response to this ongoing emergency.
143. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has considered backdating entries to the foreign births register due to the delays in processing births due to Covid-19 restrictions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28556/21]
View answerMy Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register. At present, there are 30,000 applications in the Foreign Births Registration (FBR) system that are awaiting processing. It is anticipated that further resources will be allocated to this service to assist with this volume of applications when regular processing resumes. Entitlement to Irish citizenship is determined by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (“the 1956 Act”), as amended, under which Irish citizenship may be obtained by birth, by descent, or by naturalisation.The 1956 Act provides, inter alia, that persons born abroad to parents who themselves were born abroad, are eligible for entry into the Foreign Births Register (FBR) if their parents were Irish citizens at the time of the person’s birth. To change this, an amendment of the 1956 Act would be required.The Department of Justice is responsible for citizenship matters. Any amendment to the 1956 Act is a matter for the Minister for Justice.The Department of Foreign Affairs operates a clear and transparent general policy for processing FBR applications. In situations where the completion of registrations potentially impact on the rights of a person, it will consider urgent requests to expedite registered applications on a case by case basis. Such applicants are advised on the Department’s website to make contact with the Passport Service through the WebChat service.
144. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to upgrade the IT system in his Department and bodies under his aegis with a view to maximising the protection against hackers. [28686/21]
View answerMy Department continually reviews its ICT systems and implements upgrades in line with best practice and guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre. There are no Agencies under the remit of my Department.
145. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if additional security measures will be taken to impede and prevent the intrusion of hackers in his Department’s IT system and to ensure an early warning system is in place which will trigger an ultimate defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28704/21]
View answerMy Department recognises the ongoing risk of a cyber-security attack on its global ICT network. Investment in ICT has grown steadily over the last five years and amounted to 12.5 million euro in 2020.
For reasons of operational and national security it is not appropriate to disclose details of my Department’s Cyber Security arrangements.
146. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Defence if he or his officials have had meetings with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding the upgrading, putting back into use the housing accommodation in the Curragh Camp, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28620/21]
View answerMy Department has not met with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to the matter referenced by the Deputy. It has been a long standing policy introduced in the 1990's to discontinue the provision of Married Quarters to serving personnel. It is not intended to reverse this long standing policy.
The Deputy may wish to note that my Department transfered ownership of two properties in the Orchard Park estate which is located outside the Curragh Camp to Kildare County Council, as they are the relevant housing authority for the area. My Department are open to working with Kildare County Council in handing over the remaining 3 properties owned by my Department in this estate.
147. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the amount of annual funding dedicated to the CIS unit in the Defence Forces for each year since 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28621/21]
View answerVote 36 Defence is delivered under a single programme entitled ‘Defence Policy and Support, Military Capabilities and Operational Outputs’, and dedicated funding by Corps is not identified separately in the budgetary process. In line with this approach, funding for the Communications and Information Services (CIS) Corps in respect of pay and allowances and other support and operational costs is provided for within the appropriate Subheads of the Defence Vote.
The Communications and Information Services (CIS) Corps has responsibility for the development and operation of Communications and Information Technology supports across the Defence Forces. Expenditure on the provision of these specific supports by the CIS Corps is accounted for under Subhead A.15 (Defence Forces: Communications and Information Technology), of the Defence Vote. Expenditure on Defence Communications and Information Technology services in any given year reflects the status and progression of projects in that year, in response to assessed and prioritised operational requirements.
Expenditure from 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021, under Subhead A15 (Defence Forces: Communications and Information Technology), is set out in the table below.
|
YEAR |
A.15: Defence Forces: Communications and Information Technology Expenditure €m |
|
2016 |
11.09 |
|
2017 |
11.18 |
|
2018 |
13.26 |
|
2019 |
13.13 |
|
2020 |
15.39 |
|
2021 |
4.51 (to 24 May) |
148. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Defence if there have been applications from the Permanent Defence Forces and or the Reserve Defence Forces to join the CIS units; the number of personnel currently working in the units for each year since 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28622/21]
View answerThe Communications and Information Services (CIS) Corps is responsible for the provision and maintenance of effective communications and information systems for Óglaigh na hÉireann.
CIS Corps personnel are trained and educated for their respective roles through a variety of methods, including Óglaigh na hÉireann Trainee Technician Scheme (TTS), which is effectively a four-year accredited scheme, and accepts applications from across the three services of Óglaigh na hÉireann. The Military Authorities have confirmed that they have recieved applications from personnel to join the CIS Corps in the usual manner through their Units and in line with applications for other specialist areas in the Defence Forces.
The CIS Corps also ensures the conduct of third level education schemes and professional military education courses up to and including Level 9 Masters Degrees.
The Strength of Permanent Defence Force CIS Corps is not released for operational and security reasons.
149. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the efforts his Department has underway to recruit into the CIS units in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28623/21]
View answerIt has not been possible to gather the required information in the turanround time for PQs. I will revert to the Deputy when I am in a position to reply.
150. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the efforts currently underway to attract recruits into the Defence Forces; the cost of the current advertising campaign; the target areas for the placement of such advertising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28624/21]
View answerThe military authorities have advised that the allocated recruitment advertising budget for 2021 is €395,000. Advertising arsing from recuitment campaigns is placed across all major social media platforms and radio stations.
As at 30th April 2021, a total of 149 personnel were inducted into the Permanent Defence Force. Further inductions will take place throughout the year as recruitment continues. The Air Corps Apprentice competition, attracted 663 applications and these are currently being processed. The 2021 Cadet competition is underway and General Service recruitment is ongoing. This is in addition to the 9 current Direct Entry competitions and the re-commissioning and re-enlistment schemes.
The Government remains committed to returning to, and maintaining the agreed strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel as set out in the White Paper on Defence (2015).
151. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence his plans to upgrade the IT system in his Department and bodies under his aegis with a view to maximising the protection against hackers. [28681/21]
View answer152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence if additional security measures will be taken to impede and prevent the intrusion of hackers in his Department’s IT system and to ensure an early warning system is in place which will trigger an ultimate defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28699/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 152 together.
For operational security reasons, my Department is not in a position to disclose any details of our data security systems as we deem it inappropriate to disclose information that may in any way assist those with malicious intent.
153. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will expedite the work underway in respect of the transfer of lands to a local authority via the Chief State Solicitors Office in order for the process to build additional school buildings dedicated to the needs and education of children with autism (details supplied); and the details of any impediments that may be causing an undue delay in processing this land transfer and communicate same to the public authorities involved in the exchange in order for them to address outstanding issues. [28478/21]
View answerI understand from the school authority in question that there is an issue around title to the property referred to by the Deputy and that the local authority is working with a private individual to address this issue. The CSSO have confirmed they have not been able to identify a file on this matter. As both the school site and the land in question are not in state ownership my Department has no role in this matter.
154. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education if there will be a review of NCSE policy with the aim to achieving a more efficient system that ensure an increase the number of ASD units in mainstream schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28491/21]
View answer160. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education the grants and funding available to schools that are unable to provide ASD units due to either lack of space, lack of staff or lack of other resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28492/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 160 together.
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. The Department of Education will spend approximately €2 Billion or just under 25% of its total educational budget in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs this year.
It is my belief that children with special educational needs should receive their education in placements which are appropriate to their needs alongside their peers wherever possible unless such an approach would be inconsistent with the best interests of the individual child or other children in the school.
This inclusive approach is consistent with the provisions of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004.
Only where it has been assessed that the child is unable to be supported in mainstream education, are special class placements or special school placements recommended and provided for.
Most children with special educational needs receive their education in mainstream classes, many with additional teaching and care supports.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. It has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents. NCSE seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special education placements.
There are planning processes in place at both local and national levels to ensure that the required number of specialist education places come on stream to meet identified need in a timely fashion. Normally, schools are very willing to respond to the emerging needs in their areas.
Where a shortage of places is identified, my Department works closely with the NCSE and the schools in the area to expand provision to meet local need. As Minister, I have powers under Section 37A of the Education Act to compel schools to open places but this is used sparingly and only after all reasonable efforts have been made to secure the cooperation of the schools concerned.
I want to reassure the Deputy that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.
I can also confirm that the local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) continue to be available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs.
155. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will give consideration to extending the accommodations afforded to students who experience a bereavement during State examinations and are afforded the opportunity to resit the exam during the same exam cycle, to students who suffer from epilepsy and have a medical event or seizure during their examinations. [28392/21]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
156. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if she will respond to queries raised in correspondence (details supplied) in respect of the most up-to-date advice on the use of pods and class bubbles in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28399/21]
View answerMy Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to the infection prevention and control measure appropriate for schools. The CMO has made it very clear in his advices to Government which are published on gov.ie, that schools are safe environments, with very little evidence of transmission within schools, and that the majority of infections of children and adolescents occurs outside the school setting.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) keep infection prevention and control measures under review in all sectors. Any changes to the current measures for schools will be communicated to schools before that start of the new 2021/22 school year.
157. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if she will consider that a student who experiences a medical emergency such as a seizure immediately before or during their leaving certificate exam and is unable to complete their exam should be given the opportunity to resit the exam within the same exam cycle or before such time that a CAO offers issue similar to the provision that has been introduced in recent years for students who experience a bereavement during their exams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28407/21]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
158. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education if her Department can examine funding options for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28438/21]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has already reviewed the charge order referred to and payment has issued to the school in this respect.
159. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education if her Department will run an audit on school curricula regarding inclusivity and visibility of breastfeeding families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28462/21]
View answerSome curriculum specifications and the various syllabuses have specific curriculum content related to this topic. In subjects or modules where it is not specifically mentioned the topic of breastfeeding may occur during class conversation and through interactions with students.
For example, from a nutritional aspect the subject of breastfeeding may come up in Post Primary Home Economics when discussing healthy lifestyles and nutritional requirements across all ages. In the Leaving Certificate Applied Childcare/Community care module on the care of babies and young children, Unit 1 addresses breast and bottle feeding.
From a social aspect, Junior Cycle Home Economics includes Strand Two on exploring the roles and responsibilities of the family while Leaving Certificate Home Economics includes Topic 3.1.6: Family As A Caring Unit. In Leaving Certificate Applied Social Education,the module on Social and Health Education, Unit 2: Relationships – the topic may be covered while discussing parenting and the needs that children have at various stages of their development.
Further relevant subjects would be within the SPHE curriculum. Junior Cycle SPHE Strand Two: Minding Myself and Others contains learning outcomes 2.3: describe what promotes a sense of belonging in school, at home and in the wider community and their own role in creating an inclusive environment and 2.4: distinguish between appropriate care giving and receiving. At Leaving Certificate level, SPHE aims to develop health literacy, both for the individual student and for groups. Health literacy is the capacity of individuals to obtain discerningly, interpret and understand health information; this includes the confidence to access health services and the competence to use such information and services in ways that enhance health. Once students’ health literacy skills are developed, they will be able to seek out relevant knowledge and information using a variety of sources including digital sources.
Additionally, the Department of Health has produced a Breastfeeding Information Pack for Junior Cycle students in Irish Secondary Schools.
The Information Pack was commissioned jointly by the Department of Health and the HSE Population Health Directorate, and developed by researchers from Health Promotion, Training & Support Services and Elm Training under the direction of a multidisciplinary, multisectoral expert advisory committee with representation from the relevant statutory and voluntary health services, SPHE coordinators and teachers from the relevant education sectors. The views and opinions of Junior Cycle students from a diversity of urban and rural schools were also pivotal in the development of the Information Pack.
The rationale for the initiative is contained in Action 42 of ‘Breastfeeding in Ireland: A Five Year Strategic Action Plan’ (Department of Health and Children, Oct. 2005), which recommended introducing breastfeeding information and promotion to schoolchildren at all levels of education within the context of the SPHE curriculum.
161. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the work that has been done by her Department on the inclusion of Irish Sign Language on the school curriculum; and the research or consultation that has taken place in this area. [28493/21]
View answer162. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she has or will consider defining Irish Sign Language as a curricular subject. [28494/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (the NCCA) is currently reviewing and redeveloping the Primary Curriculum Framework. The NCCA have had continued engagement with member’s of the deaf community in recent years and will continue this work in the context of the review and redevelopment of the Primary School Curriculum. 'Inclusive education and diversity' is one of the eight principles of teaching and learning proposed. One of the competencies proposed is 'Communicating and using language' which means being able to understand, interpret and use different forms of communication including gesture, expression, spoken language (English, Irish and other languages), printed text, broadcast media, and digital media. Phase one of the consultation on the draft Primary Curriculum Framework is complete. Phase two will take place in Q4 2021 during which the NCCA will be working with children, teachers, school leaders and parents, so there will be an opportunity for children and teachers who use ISL in schools to provide learning from their experiences in their engagement with the NCCA. It is expected that the finalised Framework will be published by end Q2 2022 and the specifications for individual curricula will be developed in the following years.
At post primary school level, The Post-Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI) has developed a specification for a short course in Irish Sign Language (ISL) which is available as part of the new Junior Cycle. The emphasis is on developing communication skills in ISL at level A1 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). This course develops students' ability to understand ISL in live, and in recorded situations, to produce the language and to interact with other signers in a simple way and on familiar topics. A link to the course is available at: languagesinitiative.ie/images/ISL/MFL_Gen_Spec_ISL_28_May__Short_Course.pdf .
Currently, there are four modules on Sign Language available as part of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme. This course introduces students to Irish Sign Language and aims to develop their expressive and receptive communication skills. The course also develops awareness and appreciation of the Irish deaf community and its culture. There are four modules in this course. Deaf students may take all four modules instead of the Gaeilge and Modern Language courses. The first two modules of this course may be taken as elective modules by all students.
There is also an opportunity for students to learn sign language in the course of Transition Year. Each school designs its own Transition Year programme, within set guidelines, to suit the needs and interests of its students. In establishing its own distinctive programme content, the school takes into account the possibilities offered by local community interests
