Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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168. To ask the Minister for Health why no costs are covered by the HSE for the over-eights ophthalmic scheme in CHO 8, Louth and Meath, when fees are partly covered in other CHO areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29863/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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169. To ask the Minister for Health why there is no over-eights voucher scheme for glasses in CHO 8, Louth and Meath, when there is a voucher scheme or allowance available in other CHO areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29864/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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170. To ask the Minister for Health if he has plans to introduce a universal national eye care programme for children aged eight to 16 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29865/23]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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209. To ask the Minister for Health if he will give detailed consideration to the issues raised by a representative organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30056/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 170, 207 and 209 together.

Sight testing, eye examinations and optical appliances are provided to medical card holders by ophthalmologists, optometrists and dispensing opticians through the Community Ophthalmic Services Schemes (COSS). Patients may access these services following a referral by a healthcare professional such as their general practitioner.

All children, including those not covered by a medical card, receive a vision screen while in national school from a Public Health Nurse. The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides optical services free of charge to pre-school children and national school children referred from child health service and school health service examinations who are discovered to have sight problems. These children are referred to the appropriate consultant for treatment. In such circumstances, these services will continue to be provided until the child has reached the age of 16.

The HSE Primary Care Eye Services Review Group Report, published in June 2017, highlighted the limitations of the current model of service delivery and set out the way forward for a significant amount of eye services to be delivered in a primary care setting. The Report estimated that 60% of existing outpatient activity could be moved to primary care thus enabling hospital services to focus on patients who require more specialist diagnostics or treatments.

The National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology has developed a model of care which details how the realignment of eye services from the acute hospitals to the community will be undertaken. Included in current priorities is transferring the care of children aged 8+ years to the care of local private optometrists.

A project team with a wide-ranging membership was established in late 2019 / early 2020 to progress this initiative. The work of the team was paused due to the requirement to focus resources on the COVID 19 pandemic. However, the project team has been reconvened and is progressing matters in relation to this initiative.

As this also involves a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly in regards to progress made, as soon as possible.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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171. To ask the Minister for Health to list the schools in the CHO 8 area that have received and completed, or not received and not completed, public eye care school screening, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29866/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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172. To ask the Minister for Health how many children have been referred out to optometrists under the over-eights eye care scheme; how many children were discharged from the scheme without further care in CHO 8, Louth and Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29867/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.