Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In our constituency offices, we frequently receive queries about different State services and requests for appointments. Where possible we are able to make progress for people. Recently I was taken aback when Christopher, a constituent of mine from Whitehall, contacted me regarding an audiology appointment. It was in fact his daughter who was in touch with me. He was informed that the soonest audiology appointment which would be available to him would be in December 2026. I am assured that urgent cases are dealt with more speedily, but that is of little comfort to Christopher who is seeking an appointment and who is slowly losing the hearing that he has. I understand from Chime that this is not unique and that over 8,000 people are waiting for audiology appointments.

I am looking for the Minister for Health to take measures that might assist in waiting list initiatives specifically for audiology appointments. There has been some progress with children's audiology and I believe over €750,000 was identified for funding to try to fast-track those children who are waiting for audiology appointments.

Whether you are young or old, the loss of your hearing is a very scary thing and is something that isolates you. I know that as many older people lose their hearing, they feel more and more removed from their own family, their neighbours and their friends. They perhaps do not attend the same events they would have attended. It can be a very isolating experience. It is for that reason I hope we might be able to take some measures on this matter. I would appreciate it if he could update the House.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

On behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank Deputy McAuliffe for raising this important matter. Addressing waiting lists is a high priority for the Government and substantial investment has been made to address waiting lists across a range of acute and community health services. A previous review of audiology services, published by the Health Service Executive in 2011 as the national audiology review group report, identified shortcomings including access issues, poor information flow, inadequate staffing and unacceptable waiting times. The report made recommendations to address these concerns. Most of these recommendations have been implemented, including the roll-out of a national audiology clinical management system for community services, which is facilitating improved waiting list management. The national audiology clinical management system clearly indicates that the demand on HSE audiology services is increasing year-on-year, especially with the ageing demographic of the population as Ireland ages.

The system also provides information to improve the prioritisation of patients according to clinical need. However, there is still much work to do in relation to the community audiology waiting lists. The World Health Organization’s World Report on Hearing, published in March 2021, recommended that governments develop a comprehensive people-centred hearing care plan within their national health care plan. The Minister for Health established the national hearing care plan working group in August 2024. The group is tasked with making recommendations around developing a holistic model of hearing care in Ireland. The group is jointly chaired by the Department of Health and the HSE and membership is drawn from relevant stakeholders, including the Irish Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists, the Irish Academy of Audiology, and the Department of Social Protection.

The group has developed a workstream, including subgroups to progress important matters. The group is considering the current level of hearing care provision in Ireland, current capacity constraints and opportunities within the HSE and the appropriate linkage between public and private provision of care to maximise positive outcomes for patients, including reductions in waiting times. While the work of the group progresses, funding has been allocated in 2025 to address children’s waiting lists as part of the waiting list action plan by using suitable external providers. The HSE advises that the appropriate tender documents have been finalised. The HSE will soon complete the identification of suitable external providers. Once a list of such providers is finalised, the funding will be allocated to each regional executive officer on a pro rata basis to ensure that the longest-waiting children aged four and over are seen as a matter of priority.

Importantly, this will increase capacity within the HSE to prioritise the assessment of adults waiting for community audiology services. This is especially important for older adults as appropriate hearing care is a vital factor in them remaining connected to their families and local communities.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the initiative for children. The Minister of State is right. That will free up capacity within the system for adults. I acknowledge those people with more urgent cases are seen more urgently than in December 2026, without that length of a waiting line. It is actually very difficult to track that because when you ask the HSE for what is the average waiting times for audiology services are, it tells us the system it uses will not allow it to calculate the average waiting times. It is very difficult to back up what the HSE is telling us in terms of the prioritisation of more serious cases and overall improvements.

I accept the bona fides of the Minister for Health on this to progress the matter and to put in place the waiting list working group and the management of audiology services. I welcome the initiative for children and the impact that will have. I hope that means that Christopher in Whitehall will get his appointment sooner than December 2026. If I pass the details of the case onto the Minister of State, he might be able to pass them to the Minister for Health, who might be able to intervene in this matter. This is a very serious case. I raise it on behalf of one constituent but there are, of course, many more. Chime Ireland tells us it wants to see a waiting list initiative specifically for audiology services. In this case, it is in regard to Grangegorman which is a great new primary care centre that serves much of the northside of Dublin. However, there are other centres around the country that also need waiting list initiatives. I appreciate the Minister of State's intervention on it.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

If the Deputy passes on the details to me, I will absolutely convey them to the Minister for Health and the HSE. I will also be conveying to the Minister and the HSE the urgency the Deputy has articulated. As I outlined in my initial contribution, the HSE has partaken in a process as to how it intends to address this issue. It is at a cross-roads now in terms of coming out of a tender process and appointing providers who will deal with the demand within our community. It is very important, particularly for younger children who are at such a young, vulnerable developmental age where being challenged with their hearing is a huge burden they have to bear. We have to give them every opportunity.