Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of grants her Department and the Health Service Executive provided to assist with the purchase of digital directional hearing aids in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16096/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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My Department does not provide any grants towards the purchase of digital directional hearing aids. Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive (HSE) under the Health Act 2004 and funding for all health services has been provided in its overall vote. The HSE's responsibility includes the provision of hearing aids under its Community Audiology Service. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the question raised by the Deputy. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.