Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

This matter aims to ensure the important Centre for Deaf Studies at Trinity College does not lose the minimal education grant it has at present. We are concerned that yet another institution dealing with a vulnerable minority is targeted by cuts in education. The Centre for Deaf Studies is based in Trinity College and funded by the HEA. It is concerned that its funding for 2009 will be cut. It already operates on a shoestring budget of €440,000 and it cannot afford any cutbacks. It had to locate most of its activities in Drumcondra because it must pay rent in Trinity College and most of its staff now works in Drumcondra. This is a difficult situation.

The Centre for Deaf Studies is the only university on the island of Ireland where deaf studies, Irish Sign Language teaching and Irish Sign Language and English interpreting is taught. There are currently 5,000 deaf Irish sign language, ISL, users in Ireland, but only 50 to 60 full-time interpreters. Thus, there is a shortfall of between 140 and 150 interpreters to facilitate interpreted access to a range of public services, including third level education, medical settings, legal domains, employment situations and conferences. The reduction in the delivery of ISL and English interpreter education services will deny the deaf community the right to participate at all levels of society and is an infringement of their human rights.

The reduction in funding will have the effect of impacting on public bodies such as the Garda, which will face enormous difficulties in meeting its legal obligations to provide interpretation facilities. There have already been several court cases which have fallen through because of the use of unqualified interpreters. There was a recent case in Kanturk, County Cork, where an assault case was dismissed on 1 October. It was reported that difficulties arose with a statement made by a witness, who cannot hear or speak, on the night of the incident and with the qualifications of the interpreter used at a previous court hearing for the person in question.

We need many more interpreters for sign language. Deaf students will not be able to take up third level places without interpreters. They are already the most unrepresentative of all disadvantaged groups in higher education. In the event that the Centre for Deaf Studies is unable to continue its operations, there would be no other facility in the country providing ISL and English interpreter education. If the Centre for Deaf Studies is forced to close, it would mean deaf studies would no longer be provided in any university in Ireland.

The centre requires a minimum of €440,000, which is its current allocation, to continue to provide these excellent and essential services. The funding is normally provided by the Higher Education Authority, HEA, and is ring-fenced. This is the way it has operated up to now. However, this year the HEA established the strategic and innovation of vulnerable subjects fund and €1 million has been set aside for this fund. Unfortunately, the Centre for Deaf Studies has been forced to compete with several other organisations, equally worthwhile, for this core funding, which is outrageous.

The Government has failed the deaf community. Its failure to recognise Irish sign language as an official language is an indication of its failure to recognise the needs of the deaf community. Ironically, Irish sign language is recognised in Northern Ireland and by the British Government. Sign languages are recognised by the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the United Nations, but not the Government.

In the overall scheme of the public service budget, the required funding is not exorbitant. It barely represents the equivalent of one FÁS trip to Florida. The Centre for Deaf Studies represents value for money, but not only as the only university department for deaf studies in Ireland. It is also internationally renowned. It won a European language ambassador of the year award as recently as September 2008. It is involved in the Erasmus and Fulbright programmes and a range of other European Union programmes. Its future participation in two very important and significant European research programmes, under the EU Leonardo programme, is also in jeopardy, as is the roll-out of the masters course in deaf studies throughout the country if these cutbacks are put in place.

The Centre for Deaf Studies in Trinity College, Dublin, along with its outreach programme in Drumcondra represents value for money. Its funding must at least be maintained at the existing level, but I hope it will be increased.

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