Mr. Brendan Lennon:

It is set by the Department at 104 hours as a maximum in any one year. Typically that is seen as one hour per week for 44 weeks and seven and a half hours per week during the summer holidays. However, as Dr. Conama pointed out, this should be started as early as possible, before children go to school. Children learn language from six or nine months of age. It is not an attractive role for a person to go out to a family's home for one hour a week. Also, an hour a week is not going to get you a new language. More than 95% of parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children have no other deafness in the family; there are no other deaf people. It is a whole new experience for them. Learning ISL is a whole new experience. The scheme is not fit for purpose. Dr. Conama mentioned such issues as the lack of a curriculum and quality assurance. The payment is made to parents believe it or not. The tutors are not paid directly by the Department. It is a mess. Both ourselves and the Irish Deaf Society have complained constantly to the Department about this for many years.