David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs for taking this Adjournment matter. I wish to speak about patients in the south-east referred by the ENT ward at Waterford Regional Hospital to the audiology department in the hospital and who are subjected to lengthy waiting lists.

In response to a parliamentary question tabled by Deputy Ó Caoláin, the Minister for Health said 1,412 patients in the south east were on audiology waiting lists since June 2010. Many people are on waiting lists for much longer periods than this as the figures presented by the Minister are only since June last year. The figures also show that of that 1,412, 436 children are over the age of four years and 450 children, referred since last June to see an audiologist, are under the age of four. The Minister will accept that early detection is very important for older people, in particular, but also for young people and young children. It is unacceptable that children of that age are being subjected to lengthy waiting lists.

I contacted the HSE area manager and received a reply from Richard Dooley in respect of a number of patients with whom I am dealing. I was told that in all cases, the waiting time is at least 20 months. The patients were told the waiting time was more than three years; therefdore, different information was given to me and the patients when they contacted the ward.

Currently, I am dealing with the case of a 62 year old gentleman whose hearing aid is not working and needs to be replaced or repaired. He went to the ENT ward, was referred to the audiology department and was told he would have to wait at least two years, if not three years. The problem is the hearing aid cannot be replaced. That is just one example. I am also dealing with a 76 year old gentleman, an old age pensioner, who has worked all his life. He has hearing difficulties but he too was told he would have to wait more than three years to see an audiologist.

In regard to audiology services in the south east, Waterford Regional Hospital covers the entire south-east region. I also note from a response I received from the Minister that there appears to be problems in regard to non-replacement of staff and of some audiologists who are on sick leave. This again points to the fact the public service employment embargo is a crude instrument and it is not working for many patients. People are waiting on such lengthy lists simply because people cannot be replaced. The Minister, in his response to the question tabled by Deputy Ó Caoláin, stated that audiology scientists will be appointed in Waterford Regional Hospital in the near future but he does not give a timeframe as to when that will happen.

I refer the Minister to the report published by the HSE of its national audiology review group. That report made a number of important recommendations into which I do not have time to go. However, I am sure the Minister and the Minister for Health, in particular, are aware of the recommendations which need to be implemented in full.

I am more concerned about the very old and the very young in our society and those who are on those lengthy waiting lists in Waterford and in the south east. It is important that report's recommendations are not only published but are implemented in full. Will the Minister relay to the Minister for Health that the replacement of staff on sick leave and of other staff is urgently needed? It is vital that happens.

Some 450 children under the age of four years in the south east are being told they must wait at least two years to see an audiologist. Once they see the audiologist, it may be decided that some of those children and older people need treatment and they must go on to long treatment waiting lists. It could be up to five years before some of these get the treatment they need.

These are serious issues of concern to patients and I ask the Minister to take on board the comments I have made and relay them to the Minister for Health.