Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am responding on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the position of the Department of Education and Science in relation to Irish sign language. As the Deputy may be aware, section 2 of the Official Languages Act 2003 states that "the official languages" of the State are (a) the Irish language, being the national language and the first official language and (b) the English language, being a second official language, as specified in Article 8 of the Constitution.

The Government has no plans at present to recognise Irish sign language as an official language of the State. However, I wish to advise the Deputy that Irish sign language has formal recognition in the Education Act 1998. Under the Act, it is a function of the Minister for Education and Science to ensure, subject to the provisions of the Act, that there is made available to each person resident in the State, including a person with a disability or who has other special educational needs, support services and a level and quality of education appropriate to meeting the needs and abilities of that person. This includes provision for students learning through Irish sign language.

A number of initiatives which seek to promote, develop and implement Irish sign language in order that it should achieve greater recognition and use in the education system are currently in place. These include the special schools for the deaf in Cabra, Dublin which have been encouraged in relation to the use of sign language in class. Funding is available for training of teachers in Irish sign language. The Department of Education and Science has provided funding for an Irish sign language weekly home tuition service whereby deaf tutors visit the homes of deaf pre-school children and deaf school-going pupils to provide training in Irish sign language for the deaf children and pupils, their siblings and parents.

The Department, through the Higher Education Authority, has established and fully funds a centre for deaf studies in Trinity College, Dublin which provides diploma courses for Irish sign language English interpreters, deaf tutors and in deaf studies. The course modules include issues such as sign linguistics, bi-lingualism and socio-linguistics of sign language. The course is delivered in seminar sessions, group work and the award of the diploma is based on continued assessment, a project and course design.

I again thank the Deputy, on behalf of the Minister, for the opportunity to clarify the position in relation to the Irish sign language and the relevant provisions of the Education Act.

See this speech in context