Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

The Minister mentioned things like workforce planning and obviously there are other issues like paediatric screening, adult rehabilitation pathways and integration with primary care. Can the Minister give any timeline for the public consultation? Will it definitely be in quarter 1 of next year? This arose back in August of last year when the then Minister, Stephen Donnelly, was basically implementing WHO recommendations on providing an holistic package of hearing services. I take the Minister's point and I welcome the fact that the scope has broadened to look at different things. However, has there been discussion of the regulation of the audiology profession? If that has been done, does it include the stakeholders on it? Has best practice abroad been looked at? If not, we are asking people to talk about their own industry.

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