I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together.
Under the Health Acts, hearing aids are supplied to pre-school and national school children in respect of defects discovered at child health or school health examinations and to adult medical card holders or their dependants who require them. These hearing aids are provided without charge to patients. The cost of hearing aids obtained under private arrangements is a matter between the patient and the supplier of the appliance.
In 1998, Directive 93/42/EEC concerning general medical devices came into effect throughout the European Union. This directive and related Irish legislation – S.I. No. 252 of 1994, the European Communities (Medical Devices) Regulations, 1994 – was put in place to ensure that medical device equipment, including hearing aids and their accessories, is of the highest quality. Issues relating to advertisements of hearing aids on local and national media may be referred to the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland.