Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all our colleagues for their comments. Education is an important part of Irish life and an important issue for me about which I speak regularly. This legislation is about funding and resources for members of the deaf community and we have been negotiating funding over recent months. Having the funding for the services is key. I would be interested to hear a little more about the New Zealand experience and the difficulties encountered there.

On the key issue of accountability, there must be accountability in our education services. As well as having the review of the Act, I would also like to see a regular and constant review of education services at primary, secondary and third level. As part of such a review, the Department of Education Skills would investigate what is happening in terms of providing services for members of the deaf community. Let me emphasise that, due to the lack of services in the past, on top of this being a rights issue, we are also missing out on a huge pool of talent for Irish society.I constantly meet that resource and am very conscious of it. Recently, when I helped launch the Irish Sign Language Awareness Week in the Mansion House, I was disappointed by the low turnout among the broader society, particularly our national media. Members of the Irish Deaf Society were there. It was the Monday after the Dublin match. Still, the launch was at 11 a.m., at which stage people would have been out of bed, and I was disappointed in the broader society and by the lack of interest from most of the media on the day. The issue was highlighted for a week, and it is only colleagues such as those in this Chamber who regularly talk about it or bring legislation concerning the issue before the Houses.

I am happy not to oppose amendment No. 41. I have listened to Senators' points about the review and I am very interested in consensus on this legislation, so I will not oppose that amendment.