Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to raise this important subject on the Adjournment. The matter I wish to raise concerns the provision of audiology services in the south-eastern region which includes Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Dungarvan, Clonmel and the whole south Tipperary area, which will be the focus of my few words.

The south-eastern audiology service is supposed to be staffed by two qualified audiologists working full time. One of these has been absent for a number of months due to training, which has resulted in a considerable reduction in clinic hours. The audiologists provide an essential service in assessing the hearing needs of the people of the south-eastern region and providing them with hearing aid devices, if necessary. In the Clonmel office there is a two and a half year waiting list. Many have been waiting since 2005 to obtain an appointment to be assessed and will have to wait a further month to be fitted with any device deemed necessary. I beg the Government to tell me how this is acceptable. How can we ask elderly, vulnerable people, some of whom live alone and in fear for their personal safety, to wait two and a half years to obtain a hearing aid which would alleviate some of that fear?

There are more than 300 on the waiting list in the Clonmel area. Despite the fact that the audiologist is working hard to see ten people in a day, the list is not getting any shorter. Due to the considerable work involved in following up on initial appointments — for example, when fittings are required — the waiting list is never fully tackled but remains at roughly the same length. The European Consumer Health Index report which was issued recently indicated that Ireland had the worst waiting times in Europe. The people of Tipperary are, sadly, examples of this shameful fact. The waiting list for the equivalent service in Cork is three months, while in Tipperary it is two and a half years. Surely, in the aftermath of the recent successful Positive Ageing Week, we owe it to the older people in our community who have worked so hard their whole lives to provide them with the services they deserve. In the last budget, in the area of services for the elderly, funding was allocated to improve this service, but there has been no clear improvement for the people of south Tipperary.

This does not affect only the older people in our community. Younger people, including children, also desperately require this service in order that their auditory needs can be met. What is the point in parents and teachers giving their all to educate young children when the children cannot be assessed to ensure their hearing is satisfactory? Children in Tipperary who have problems hearing struggle in a near silent world, isolated, waiting for their names to move forward on the list which is now so long that staff must check whether a patient is still alive before offering an appointment. I strongly advise the Minister to do something about this, as it affects the quality of life of so many.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I will be taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Mary Harney, the Minister for Health and Children.

I am happy to have the opportunity to address the issue raised by Deputy Hayes. As the House will be aware, the Health Service Executive has the responsibility in law to manage and deliver health and personal social services or to arrange for them to be delivered on its behalf. This includes the delivery of audiology services and the prioritising and resourcing of the development of national community audiology services.

I am happy to explain the situation in the area of audiology services, as well as to convey the information provided by the HSE on the specific question raised by the Deputy. The national community audiology service provides free audiology services for all children, irrespective of parents' means, and for adults who have eligibility. For an adult to be eligible, he or she must be in possession of a current medical card. A total of 4,822 clinics were held in 2006 and 39,432 patients were seen.

The post of audiologist was advertised in May this year and interviews for the position were held in September. As a result of the interview process, a person was offered the post. Unfortunately, this person has declined the offer of the position. The HSE intends to advertise the post again. However, the HSE national management team has developed a financial break-even plan, aimed at remaining within its Vote for 2007, which includes a temporary pause in recruitment. This was reviewed by the team on 1 October. Based on this review, the HSE has decided that the financial situation is such that it is necessary and prudent to continue the overall pause in recruitment to the end of October.

The HSE hopes to establish a national review of audiological services to explore the delivery of audiology services in the most appropriate setting. Meanwhile, it has been working to achieve national standardisation of approaches to waiting lists and waiting times using a standardised template. Data based on this revised template is due to be reported at end of the first quarter of 2008.

A further imperative is to develop an integrated service at primary care level, involving audiologists, general practitioners, speech and language therapists, public health nurses and others, for those with hearing loss. The HSE also envisages the development of fully integrated audiology services, involving acute hospitals and community services, which will be delivered in the most appropriate setting. I will bring the issues the Deputy raised to the attention of the HSE.