Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 November 2021
358. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the measures she is taking to address the shortage in the lack of qualified Irish Sign Language interpreters in the classroom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48513/21]
View answerVery significant levels of financial provision are made to ensure that all children with special educational needs, including children who are deaf/hard of hearing, can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs.
The State currently spends approximately €2 Billion - almost a quarter - of its annual educational and training budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs.
This represents an increase of over 60% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.
Included in this provision is an extensive range of supports to assist students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
In line with the Department's policy that children with special educational needs access appropriate education intervention in mainstream settings where possible, many deaf or hard of hearing pupils are integrated into mainstream classes at primary and post-primary level, while other children who are deaf or hard of hearing and have more complex needs may attend special schools or classes, which have lower pupil teacher ratios.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published the Comprehensive Review of the SNA Scheme on 30th May 2018 and the Government has noted the contents of the report. The report recommends that Irish Sign Language (ISL) qualified assistants should be put in place to support profoundly deaf students whose primary language is ISL and that this should be aligned to the requirements of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017. This recommendation is under consideration at present.
In the interim these posts are filled, on a case by case basis, through the NCSE to allocate an additional SNA post with appropriate ISL qualifications.
The Department of Education has allocated a post to a small number of schools who have students enrolled with significant hearing impairments as confirmed by professional reports.
The purpose of these posts is to enable these students attend school and access the curriculum and these staff are employed on similar terms and conditions to SNAs. There are no plans to change this interim arrangement.
Generally, as set out in Circular 0030/2014, when a school is recruiting an SNA, the board of management should ensure that the SNA recruited is equipped with the skills necessary to support the particular needs of the pupils for whom SNA support have been appointed.
The terms and conditions including pay of SNAs is determined centrally as part of a national process and it not something that can be addressed outside of these arrangements.
Planning is underway for the development of the schemes required under the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 in consultation with the NCSE. Arising from this work, any necessary amendments to current level of supports for students whose primary means of communication is ISL will be made.
