Seven-year-old Cork boy to get sign language support at school after family’s ‘long battle’

The family of schoolboy Calum Geary, a twin born without hearing, has received a boost after it was confirmed money will be provided for an Irish Sign Language (ISL) professional at his primary school.

The family have been engaged in a long-running campaign and have argued that seven-year-old Calum, from Ballyhooly near Fermoy, Co Cork, was one of just 10 to 20 children in the country who requires the in-class supports.

In 2012, Calum underwent pioneering surgery in the UK to improve his hearing, but unfortunately the surgery did not work as anticipated and so his family switched their attention to securing top-level signing supports for Calum and others with similar hearing issues.