James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for raising the issue of Irish Sign Language (ISL) education in Further and Higher Education institutions.

The following courses are currently offered by Higher Education Institutions:

• Munster Technological University offers a Special Purpose Award (SPA) Certificate in ISL — a year-long, part-time course at Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
• Dublin City University provides a Bachelor of Education in Irish Sign Language.
• Trinity College Dublin offers a Bachelor in Deaf Studies, which equips students with profession-specific competencies for careers in ISL teaching or ISL/English interpreting. In this programme, no prior knowledge of ISL is required for entry.

This is not intended as an exhaustive list. It should be noted that responsibility for ISL education at primary and secondary level, as well as the training of ISL teachers, lies with my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee T.D.

The Deputy will appreciate that, under legislation, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are academically autonomous in determining the courses they provide. Accordingly, decisions regarding the expansion of ISL education are matters for the institutions themselves.

Notwithstanding this autonomy, under the Irish Sign Language Act 2017, the State recognises the right of ISL users to use ISL as their native language and places a duty on public bodies to provide free interpretation services when ISL users are accessing statutory entitlements and services. The Act sets out a range of provisions to support access to ISL interpretation.

In the context of the ISL Act’s implementation, and the broader National Disability Strategy, officials in my Department are working with colleagues in the Department of Children, Equality and Youth to examine the factors influencing the supply of ISL interpreters, including training pathways through further and higher education. As part of this work, my officials are facilitating engagement between education institutions and relevant stakeholders, with a view to increasing the availability of qualified ISL interpreters.