Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The need is there and is growing. On top of driver licence applications, there are people with more complex conditions. The pandemic saw people having more screen time and that will have a knock-on effect. Demand is growing each year. There is only a very small pool qualifying from that one course. It takes up to four years to qualify so there is a greater urgency there.

Is there a college that will start a course in the short term so that, in four or five years time, we could expect to see further growth? Opticians are struggling to recruit. The need is there from the public so we cannot wait for the colleges. People need to be doing the course already if it takes four years to qualify a person. Is there a way to get those courses started in the colleges?

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