This article first appeared on Galway Bay FM

Approximately 2,000 people are on an audiology waiting list in Galway for a year or more, according to HSE figures

Chime, Ireland’s national charity for the deaf and hard of hearing, says these are shocking delays, revealing a dysfunctional system

The advocacy group points out that among adults, there’s a strong link between hearing loss and the early onset of dementia

Meanwhile, half of the people on the waiting list are under 18 and Director of Advocacy Danielle McLoughlin told Galway Talks that hearing loss can have a profound effect on young people