Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 425: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on whether the Constitution should be amended to recognise Irish sign language as an official language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12939/09]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 426: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action he is taking to grant recognition to Irish sign language; if he will support its use by the Government and its agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12940/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 425 and 426 together.

As the Deputy will 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. I wish to advise the Deputy that Irish sign language (ISL) 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 ISL.

A number of initiatives which seek to promote, develop and implement ISL in order that it will achieve greater recognition and use in the education system are currently in place. These include:

the special schools for the deaf have been encouraged in relation to the use of sign language in class.

funding for an ISL weekly home tuition service whereby deaf tutors visit the homes of deaf preschool children and deaf school-going pupils to provide training in ISL for the deaf children, pupils, their siblings and parents.

In addition, my Department through the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has established and funds a Centre for Deaf Studies in Trinity College, Dublin which provides diploma courses for ISL/English interpreters, deaf tutors and in deaf studies. The course modules deal with issues such as sign linguistics, bilingualism and sociolinguistics of sign language. The course is delivered in seminar sessions/group work and the award of the diploma is based on continued assessment and a project and course design.