Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

604. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she is taking to enable Irish Sign Language teachers to receive teaching licences from the Teaching Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16940/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State.

There are entry routes to primary, post-primary and further education teacher education for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing, and to provide for instruction in ISL in schools.

The Teaching Council inform me that in relation to primary, there is a Bachelor of Education (Irish Sign Language), which commenced in 2019 in Dublin City University (DCU). This programme was developed as previously there was no entry route to primary teacher education for someone who communicates through ISL and could not meet the minimum entry requirement for Irish in Leaving Certificate. This B.Ed. allows ISL to be accepted as an alternative to Irish.

In relation to post-primary and Further Education, there are a number of accredited programmes of Initial Teacher Education in these sectors and there are no barriers to entry for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing, and to ensuring instruction in ISL is available in schools.