Dr. John Bosco Conama:

I thank the committee for the invitation to contribute today. The Irish Deaf Society welcomes the opportunity to discuss the education needs of deaf and hard of hearing students. The IDS refers to all deaf and hard of hearing people whose preferred language is ISL as culturally deaf with a capital "D." When, throughout our documentation, we refer to deaf with a capital "D," this includes hard of hearing. The IDS is the national deaf-led representative organisation of the deaf, and is recognised as a Disabled Peoples Organisation, DPO, under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD. The IDS is a members of the World Federation of the Deaf, WFD, and the European Union of the Deaf, EUD. We lead the ISL Act cross community group, which is a group of national organisations and service providers working in the deaf community.

Last week, we met the Joint Committee on Disability Matters to discuss the World Health Organisation, WHO, World Report on Hearing 2021, and how it should inform development of policy in Ireland. There were some key takeaways relevant to today’s discussion. The WHO report lists sign language development as a high quality early hearing intervention. It states:

Language acquisition in children ensures optimal cognitive and socio-emotional development and can be undertaken through non-auditory means... access to communication through sign language learning provides a much needed stimulus for facilitating the timely development of deaf infants.

The report also states:

[L]earning sign language ensures that infants do not face any delay in language acquisition ... Moreover, learning sign language does not hinder or delay the subsequent or simultaneous acquisition of spoken language skills.

The World Federation of the Deaf's Position Paper on the Language Rights of Deaf Children strongly recommends that all deaf children and their families receive sign language early intervention services as soon as possible after birth. Otherwise, they are at risk of language deprivation.

Article 25 of the UNCRPD calls on governments to provide high-quality sign language early intervention. It states that it is essential that medical professionals collaborate with deaf professionals, community members, sign language teachers and deaf advocacy organisations. Article 23 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that parents of disabled children must be provided, free of charge, with assistance and services to ensure the children reach their fullest individual, social, and cultural development. The current supports delivered by the Government are not sufficient and are not managed effectively. The Irish Deaf Society has submitted proposals to the Department of Education as to how the home tuition scheme could be run effectively, as it is currently dysfunctional.

In June of this year, the Irish Deaf Society launched our three-year strategic plan. One of its strategic pillars is advancing education and training opportunities. The first strand of that pillar seeks to achieve the recommendations set out in our policy paper on education, published in September 2022. The Department of Education has a clear responsibility under the UNCRPD to engage with the Irish Deaf Society as a representative disabled people's organisation, DPO. However, we have not had any engagement on our strategy, our position paper on deaf education or multiple proposals submitted on the home tutor scheme since 2018. This is not acceptable and we call on the Department to include us in meaningful consultation.

I will now give a summary of the key points that must be addressed from our deaf education position paper. I commented earlier on the importance of early intervention. There is more detail on this in our position paper.

The next point concerns the home tuition scheme As mentioned earlier, the current scheme is not fit for purpose. In order to provide a quality service to child and family service users, the scheme must include the appointment of deaf tutors, native ISL signers, support and supervision services, quality management, a complaints system and continuing professional development, CPD, for tutors. Other supports that should be provided include age-appropriate curriculum guidance, mechanisms for reviewing and sharing good practices, and guidance for families on the curriculum provided.

Inclusive education is another key point. We affirm the position of the World Federation of the Deaf in advocating for inclusive education for deaf learners that is of high-quality, with direct instruction in sign language, access to deaf teachers and deaf peers who use sign language, and a bilingual curriculum that includes the study of sign language. Government policy must include this in its medium- and long-term goals and must plan accordingly. Provision of ISL supports and interpreters is at best a short-term solution to language deprivation in the classroom.

Research is needed on the evaluation of educational outcomes in Irish education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, to examine the literacy achievements of deaf students in a bilingual environment vis-à-visthose in other contexts, Irish Sign Language development milestones, development of English as a second language in a bilingual environment, positive outcomes concerning educational achievement and emotional development where ISL is a recognised language.

Another key point concerns teacher training. Under Article 24.3(4) of the UNCRPD, the State is required to take appropriate measures to employ teachers, including teachers with disabilities, who are qualified in sign language, and to train professionals and staff who work at all levels of education. Achieving quality, inclusive education for deaf learners requires teacher proficiency in sign language, knowledge and development of quality bilingual curricula and pedagogy, awareness of the need for high expectations for deaf learners as bilingual learners, and the provision of teacher education that supports deaf candidates' achievement of teaching credentials. There is not enough investment and development in this area.

The final key point concerns third level, tertiary and adult education. Article 24.5 of the UNCRPD requires states to ensure persons with disabilities are able to access general tertiary education, vocational training, adult education and lifelong learning without discrimination and on an equal basis with others. Deaf students in Ireland face significant challenges in regard to choice, supports and reasonable accommodations. They are under-represented in higher education in Ireland.

I will now give a summary conclusion.