Dr. John Bosco Conama:

Yes, that is not a problem. The Deputy is correct in that the Department of Education is most definitely very rigid. That has been the situation for a long time. Looking back in history at the education of deaf people, one would not notice such a great difference with regard to where the policies and failures are. Obviously, much of that is down to not being able to cover resources.

From now on, I am sorry to hear the Deputy talk about that student and her failure around music. Accommodation can be made for deaf people and this has been done. They can write, read and sign towards music, so it can be done. I am sorry to hear the Deputy's perspective. Given that music was this student's first love; that is an issue. Again, the Department is very rigid and, as Mr. Lennon said, when one goes to the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, it is exactly the same position with that rigid structure. That needs to change and to become more flexible to allow those new intonations to come in.