Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the issue of the lack of an audiology service in the west, particularly in the west. At present, approximately 750 adults and 210 children in the west await the services of an audiologist. This figure includes new referrals and recalls. The average waiting time for child audiology services in County Roscommon is four years. A child who, due to hearing difficulties, requires speech and language therapy cannot progress until a hearing aid is provided. This is disgraceful and it should not be tolerated. I ask the Minister of State to take up this issue to ensure that this pathetic situation is addressed immediately.

People cannot take up employment because of the liability associated with their limited hearing, and they cannot get an appointment for a hearing aid. It takes some time from ordering to delivery of the hearing aids and when people eventually get them they may not fit.

In 2003, I raised this issue with the relevant health board. After transferral of the service to the community services in County Roscommon, I was told that arrangements were being put in place to restore the service as quickly as possible — the people of County Roscommon never had an adequate service — but to date, no action has been taken. In August 2004, I was told that the service would resume in mid-September. In January 2005, I was told that an audiologist was not available but that efforts were being made to appoint one to provide a service. Last month, I was told that, following interviews, a shortlist had been compiled for an audiologist for adult services and that it was hoped the service would be operational soon.

I have been told that the recruitment of an audiologist for children is being actively pursued. Due to the scarcity of this grade of workers, a number of past attempts to recruit to this position were unsuccessful. The reality is that the health service has let these children and adults down. They are being ignored simply because they reside in the midlands and County Roscommon. The health service is washing its hands of this matter by claiming that it cannot recruit for the position. If a recruitment cannot be made on the salary offered by the health service, an enhanced salary should be paid or other incentives put in place to ensure that the post is filled.

A person's physical location should not be a cause for discrimination. Nobody should have to tolerate the situation where he or she must wait four years for an appointment with an audiologist. The Minister of State should ensure that this issue is addressed and that we are no longer fobbed off on this issue. These circumstances have obtained for the past two and a half years, but nothing has happened. No one has been recruited and the backlog has not been addressed. The lack of hearing aids means people cannot find jobs and children cannot access proper speech and language therapy. The Government must do something immediately.

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