Ms Martina Mannion:

On the first piece, it is important to note that when we were looking at that competency it was not that we were setting the bar so high that people would not be able to get through. There was a specific segment of the interview with an ISL video that was recorded by native ISL user. That person is a member of the deaf community, a qualified teacher and has the Trinity qualification relating to ISL.

This is what the stakeholders had said was required. On that basis, we want to ensure the people who do come through in this space will be able to provide the service that is required.

With regard to increasing the capacity in our further and higher education institutions, this is something that will require engagement with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Colleges are free to commence new programmes or to expand courses if they wish. From talking to our colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, we are aware that if any requests for courses of that nature are put forward by any of universities, the Department will look favourably on them and we will work with them on that.

It is important we identify outcomes. This is the first time we have done this direct recruitment, so it is the first time we have an understanding of the outcomes of this process as a result of the national campaign. It will certainly feed into how we look to expand this campaign into the future.