I propose to take Questions Nos. 3309, 3315, 3316, 3323, 3324 and 3325 together.
The National Hearing Care Plan Working Group, established by the Minister for Health, is jointly chaired by the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE). Membership is drawn from relevant stakeholders, including clinicians, representative bodies, and other government agencies.
The Working Group has been tasked with developing recommendations for a holistic model of hearing care in Ireland. A public consultation was recently conducted and the responses received are informing the drafting of the National Hearing Care Plan.
The HSE Community Audiology service has a specific remit to undertake hearing assessments and provide management options for eligible patients identified with a hearing loss due to a defined quantifiable measure of loss of hearing sensitivity, which may be unilateral or bilateral.
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a condition where the brain struggles to process sounds correctly despite a person having normal hearing. It is a complex condition to diagnose and requires a multidisciplinary team as per international best practice standards. The HSE does not currently provide a service for the assessment and management of children or adults with suspected APD.
The implementation of the recommendations arising from the drafting of the National Hearing Care plan will be carried out on a priority and phased basis, subject to the commitments in the Programme for Government, other health priorities, and the budget available.
