John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will concentrate on the Association of Optometrists Ireland. In my day we used to call them opticians. There are 352 registered optometrists who are willing to get involved and provide much needed community backup for an overloaded system. We recently heard a presentation by the association in Buswells Hotel. It is more than willing to get involved, particularly in screening for young people. Squints and lazy eye syndrome are easily dealt with. If they are, such cases do not go on to clog up the system further down the line. However, there is resistance somewhere in the system to allowing optometrists to get involved in solving the problem associated with public waiting list. The Minister needs to use his good offices to get to the bottom of the matter and stop it. There is enough work for everyone in the system. When a body is willing to get involved and help, we should facilitate it.

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