Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 March 2026
359. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health the reason ophthalmology waiting lists continue to increase; if there are plans in place to tackle this in the short-term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22645/26]
View answer361. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health her plans to expand access to private ophthalmology facilities for public patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22647/26]
View answer362. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health whether she will consider commissioning a national strategy on eyecare in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22648/26]
View answer363. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the progress of the review of the National Clinical Ophthalmology Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22649/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 361 to 363, inclusive, together.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides optical services to children referred into the HSE community ophthalmic service from child health service and school health service examinations who are discovered to have sight problems. Following referral, the HSE provides eye examinations and glasses, if necessary, to children up to the age of 12, irrespective of medical card eligibility. Children aged 12-16 who have a medical card or are the dependent of a medical card holder can also receive eye examinations and glasses, as needed.
Under the Community Ophthalmic Services Scheme (COSS), medical card holders aged over 12 years can be seen by local ophthalmologists, community ophthalmic physicians, optometrists or dispensing opticians. Eligible patients can receive an eye examination and be provided with prescribed optical appliances in accordance with a national schedule of approved optical appliances.
The HSE’s 2017 Primary Care Eye Services Review Group 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 2017 National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology developed a model of care detailing how the realignment of eye services from an acute hospital setting to the community would be undertaken.
The HSE has been developing multidisciplinary Integrated Eye Care Teams in accordance with this model of care. These teams facilitate assessment, diagnoses, management and treatment, and, in some cases, pre-op/post-op care, enabling most patients to be seen in their own locality. Where necessary, patients can be referred onwards to acute Ophthalmology services to receive the necessary specialist input.
The HSE advise that community ophthalmic waiting lists have been reduced in each area in which these teams have been introduced. Work is underway to establish further teams and to expand those teams that exist. The demand for ophthalmic services is increasing due to demographic changes.
The Programme for Government: Securing Ireland’s Future contains a commitment to review the National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology to ensure more eye services are provided in the community. Engagement with relevant stakeholders regarding this is ongoing.
Transferring the routine care of children aged 8+ years to the care of local private optometrists remains a priority. Of course, any publicly funded service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, and provide better value for money.
