Ciarán Cannon (Fine Gael)

In County Galway today, almost 1,300 children have a hearing impairment and are awaiting their very first assessments by a senior audiological scientist. These vulnerable children are very much in need of early intervention, if they are to achieve their full potential in adult life. The fact they are left waiting is completely immoral and unjustified. If we claim to be protecting the most vulnerable in our society during these very difficult times, we really need to mean that, because it is a phrase that has become somewhat demeaned in recent months.

International best practice and research suggests early intervention for children with hearing impairment is very important. We have gone out of our way to look at international best practice in relation to other health issues. For example, we recruited Professor Tom Keane from Canada because it was deemed that cancer detection and treatment services in that country were among the most effective in the world. It is interesting to note that in Canada, also, all babies are screened at birth for hearing loss and when identified very early on, and given access to hearing technology, the majority of such children born with hearing loss there will learn to talk and function as normal adults when they grow up.

I have been told by the HSE western region that the reason there is no senior audiological scientist operating in County Galway is because it is not allowed to recruit one due the current embargo on recruitment within the public service. I simply ask that those 1,300 children in County Galway be given the service and opportunity they deserve to develop to their full potential. In the past year, despite the embargo, the Department of Finance has deemed it acceptable to allow 885 posts in the public service to be filled where it has been deemed absolutely necessary to have such staff in place. I implore the Minister of State to make another exception and appoint a senior audiological scientist for County Galway in order that the children mentioned can be given the service they so badly need and deserve.