Ms Carol Brill:

I thank the committee for embracing our statement about why deaf-blindness needs to be recognised. I live on a social welfare payment called the blind pension. This is evidence that I am treated as a blind person, not a deafblind person or a person with dual sensory loss. It is well known that it is difficult to live on a limited income. Although I would dearly love to work, given the deterioration of my dual sensory faculties, it is very difficult to gain employment. I could not even work on a supermarket checkout. I would dearly love to be able to do so. Given the restrictions of living on a low income, I am unable to commit to applying for a guide dog. While the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind centre in Cork commits to providing one with a trained dog, one is responsible for veterinary fees, a special diet for the dog, grooming and compulsory pet insurance. It comes to approximately €25, a very large proportion of the blind pension.

I have worn hearing aids from the age of four. At first, the HSE provided my hearing aids. Unfortunately, as my hearing is deteriorating, my audiological needs are increasing, and the hearing aids offered through the medical card scheme are not sufficient to my needs. Thankfully, technology has progressed and in the commercial sector I am able to avail of high-tech hearing aids. The latest hearing aids I am wearing come at a very significant cost of approximately €6,500. I have been gifted these hearing aids because they are the best for my audiological needs and visual safety because I can use an app on my iPhone to adapt to my environment. If the environment is noisy, I can change the setting. My privacy is also protected. Visually impaired people use voice technology on their phones that reads messages and e-mails aloud. The iPhone app allows e-mails and messages to be read, via Bluetooth, straight into my hearing aid, which protects my privacy to some extent and ensures I am able to hear what I am engaging with. Unfortunately, my hearing loss is getting worse.

I ask Mr. Derek Lacey, who is here as my audiologist to expand a little bit further about the future prognosis of my hearing loss because it is essential to the progression of my care under the health and social services.