Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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532.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students that have had access to the Irish sign language specialist classroom support scheme since the introduction of the in-school supports for students who are deaf in 2022; and the number that have applied but have been refused, per year, in tabular form.[34260/24]

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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533.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline, in relation to the in-school supports for students who are deaf introduced in 2022 and now that this scheme is in its second year running, the number of the seven persons on the Irish sign language specialist classroom support panel that have been called on to date.[34261/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 533 and 532 together.

As outlined in Circulars 069/2022 and 070/2022 and through the development of the associated scheme in October 2022 I recognise the importance of providing support for all children who rely on Irish Sign Language for communication.

The scheme is being implemented on a phased basis to allow for learning from the initial phase and to implement improvements, if required, to subsequent phases. The focus of the first phase was on ensuring that the available skilled resources are identified and applied where they are needed the most.

The NCSE commenced a national advertising campaign in January 2023, to recruit for the role of ISL-SCS on a nationwide basis. Interviews were held in May 2023 for the ISL Specialist Classroom Support (SCS) competition and a panel of 7 was formed with 2 candidates taking up positions in Mayo and Cork, in August 2023 and November 2023 respectively. ISL SCS have completed the first academic year in school. Both schools and parents in each case have expressed their satisfaction with the resource provided.

Applications were also received in 2023-24 from 3 other schools. None of these students met the criteria for an ISL SCS as laid out in circular 69/22. There have been ongoing discussions between these schools and the NCSE around ongoing ISL supports and the NCSE will revisit applications if any new information is available.

A new competition for 2024 is ongoing with interviews taking place this week with a view to filling identified vacancies, which cannot be filled by the existing panel, in Cork and in Mayo.

As well as ISL SCS supports in schools there are also a number of SNAs providing communication support in schools. This is usually in the form of ISL. These SNAs are working in mainstream and special schools across the country.