Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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2601. To ask the Minister for Health if she will introduce a financial support system for people, especially children, who suffer from auditory process disorder; to outline her policy on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41080/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Health established the National Hearing Care Plan Working Group in August 2024. The Group is jointly chaired by the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. Membership of the Working Group 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 is tasked with making recommendations around developing a holistic model of hearing care in Ireland. The Group have 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. The Group is preparing an interim report, with recommendations, which will be sent to the Minister for review.

People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be eligible for a medical card under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme. In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE.

In certain circumstances the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income guidelines, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from illness. The HSE afford applicants the opportunity to furnish supporting documentation to determine whether undue hardship exists and to fully take account of all relevant circumstances that may benefit them in assessment. In circumstances where an applicant is still over the income limit for a medical card, they are then assessed for a GP visit card, which entitles the applicant to GP visits without charge.

The issue of granting medical card eligibility based on having a particular disability or illness was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. In following the Expert Group’s advice, a person’s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card.