Kerry Deaf Resource Centre Update 12.12.11
SUPPORTER OF THE YEAR AWARDS.
We wanted to share some feedback we received from two of our Supporter of
the Year Award winners.
Ciara Sheehan on Facebook said, “I would like to thank the Kerry Deaf
Resource Centre for the award I received for Supporter of the Year Award.
I’m honoured and privileged. I absolutely adore sign language. I use it all
day and all night. I think it’s very important to have it to communicate
with the Deaf community. I love meeting people that are Deaf and signing
with them. Signing is very rewarding. I would like to take this opportunity
to thank all the people that work in the Kerry Deaf Resource Centre so so
much for all the hard and fantastic work they do. They should be recognised
more often and I would also like to thank them for all the help they gave
me, helping me with my sign language. Thank ye ever so much again.”
Fr. Stephen Monaghan (Ethiopia/Ireland Deaf project) on Facebook said, “This
project is built on team spirit and common vision, it’s great that so many
people feel drawn to supporting the project. Its great that all of them have
been recognised in this way, I will pass on this good news to the Board of
VLM” (Vincentian Lay Missionaries).
SUBTITLING, SIGN LANGUAGE AND AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON IRISH TV.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) on the 6th of December launched
a public consultation on proposed new rules to govern the level of
subtitling, sign language and audio description that Irish television
broadcasters must offer to the public. The new rules will update the current
Access Rules in place since 2005.
Further information on the full details of the consultation and how you can
provide input to the process can be found at www.bai.ie
CHANGES TO HEARING AID GRANT.
This week Minister Joan Burton announced in her 2012 Budget speech changes
to the Treatment Benefit Grant (PRSI Grant) for hearing aids. The Treatment
Benefit Scheme is available to workers and retired people who have made the
required number of PRSI contributions.
The frequency of the grant for hearing aids will change from 2 years to 4
years. The maximum grant available for one hearing aid will change from
760euro to 500euro and from 1,520euro to 1,000euro for two hearing aids.
These changes will come into place in January 2012. Your hearing aid
Audiologist can explain your grant entitlements to you and if you act fast
you may still be able to take advantage of the current scheme before it
changes in the New Year.
IDS BETTER TOGETHER AWARD.
A crowd of over 250 packed out the Liffey Hall at the Convention Centre
Dublin on the 1st of December to witness the announcement of the winners of
the 2011 Better Together Awards.
The Irish Deaf Society won the category for “Organisation with staff with a
turnover less than 500,000 euro” and scooped a prize of 3,000 euro. The IDS
came up with a very clever video as part of the nomination process and its
shows many well-known people in Ireland doing the sign language alphabet. To
view their video, go to
http://www.bettertogether.ie/
Congratulations and best wishes to the IDS for their award.
CLOSING UP FOR CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.
Our service will close up on Wednesday the 21st of December at 5 pm and will
re-open on the 4th of January.
If you require a Sign Language Interpreter for emergency purposes during the
Christmas period, interpreters from Kerry will be call via the SLIS
Emergency number at 087 6725179.
OUR CONTACT DETAILS:
Kerry Deaf Resource Centre
4 Gas Tce, Tralee
Mobile (text): 087 633 4687
E-mail: [email protected]
www.kerrydeaf.com
www.facebook.com/kerrydeaf
Fax: 066 712 0386
Tel: 066 712 0399