Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 16 Jun 1994

Vol. 443 No. 9

Adjournment Debate. - Replacement Spectacles.

Mr. E. Byrne

I am sorry the Minister is not present. Perhaps his colleague will convey my message to him. The elderly living in the Dublin South Central constituency are unhappy with the way they are treated by the Government. Not only do they have to try to live on miserably low pensions but anyone lucky enough to have a small pension from a job finds it is taxable while the Government give millionaire tax dodgers a tax amnesty.

The Government ought to be ashamed of the way they treat senior citizens many of whom have medical cards. They have to wait five months for replacement spectacles. What way is this for the Government to treat senior citizens? I call on the Government to provide additional funds to reduce the waiting times and ultimately abolish them. In the overall context of the health service this issue might seem like a relatively small problem but it is not for those affected. In the case of pensioners, the delay affects their health and safety.

Because of financial shortages the Eastern Health Board decided it can only authorise a limited number of applications for optical benefit each week. There is a waiting list of 19 weeks for people waiting for benefit. Those hit by the delays are pensioners who may accidentally break their spectacles and need replacement or repairs. It is a serious matter to leave pensioners with poor sight without spectacles for so long. Not only may they be unable to read or watch television, they could have difficulty going out. They may not see traffic and other obstacles. I note that the Minister of State wears spectacles. Anyone wearing spectacles knows that their quality of life is affected when they are deprived of them.

First time applicants for glasses are experiencing even longer delays as they have to establish eligibility before they are put on the health board's waiting list. The claims made by the Minister for Health, Deputy Howlin, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Spring, during the recent election campaign about the success of the Labour Party in reducing waiting lists in the health services, sound very hollow to the elderly, the pensioners and the vulnerable in society who have to wait up to 19 weeks to have their glasses replaced or repaired. The Minister for Health should make a special allocation to the Eastern Health Board so that this waiting list can be eliminated and people can have their glasses repaired or replaced without undue delay. This is a very minor request. The Minister must get his priorities right.

In the previous debate reference was made to the hundreds of millions of pounds being spent on hospitals and the health services, yet the Government cannot even guarantee fair play for elderly medical card holders who are forced to face unnecessary danger in their day-to-day lives due to these long waiting lists. I hope the Minister responds in a positive way to the serious problems being experienced by so many vulnerable and insecure pensioners.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Ms E. Fitzgerald)

I congratulate Deputy Byrne on his re-election to the House.

The provision of optical services for eligible persons in this area is the statutory responsibility of the Eastern Health Board. The sight testing scheme under which eligible adults, medical card holders and their dependants, have their sight tested by ophthalmologists, ophthalmic medical practitioners and ophthalmic opticians in private practice has been in operation in the health services since 1979. Eligible patients have their sight tested in private practice premises. Where glasses are prescribed for an eligible person, they are provided by a dispenser of the patient's choice from among those who have agreed with health boards to provide this service.

I understand from the Eastern Health Board that there are problems with the scheme as currently operated. In recent years there has been a steady increase in the number of applications for optical services. The following practices have been noted by the board: most opticians operate a recall system with many operating a yearly recall system; some have a higher than average number of claims for two pairs of spectacles, reading and distance, some advise their clients that they need a second pair of spectacles as a "spare"; and some issue a prescription for new spectacles where there has been no change in the strength of the lens.

Having regard to the number of applications — in excess of 30,000 per year — and the number of providers of the services involved, it is difficult without a very detailed examination to quantify with certainty the extent of the above problems.

Due to increases in the number of applications the board not only exceeded its 1993 allocation but had to create a waiting list. The waiting period varies in community care areas, and is up to five months in some areas. While there is currently a waiting list, the Eastern Health Board has in operation a system which gives priority to applicants with special needs such as the elderly and students sitting exams.

My Department is aware of the Eastern Health Board's concern regarding the operation of the sight testing scheme at present. The board is carrying out a detailed examination of the aspects of the scheme causing concern. My Department has been in contact with the Eastern Health Board and will discuss the matter further on foot of the outcome of the board's examination of the scheme with a view to ensuring that all persons who need optical services receive them within a reasonable time.