26 March 2024

FODO Ireland member update - 26 March

In this update:

• Bank holiday opening hours
• Opportunity: programme development lead in Optometry, SETU
• World Optometry Week
• Critical skills occupation list recommendation
• Sheila McClelland appointed CORU's CEO
• CORU statistics

Bank holiday opening hours

The FODO Ireland office will be closed on 29 March and 1 April. We will reopen at 9am on 2 April. Members can still access out-of-hours support on Friday and Monday by emailing [email protected].

Opportunity: programme development lead in Optometry, SETU

The South East Technological University is developing an Optometry degree programme with the support of industry stakeholders, including FODO Ireland.

SETU is seeking to recruit a senior academic to act as the programme development lead (€89,326 to €114,847 per year) who will spearhead this exciting development.

Recruitment closes tomorrow (27 March) - so if you're interested act quickly.

Go to the advert.

World Optometry Week

World Optometry Week highlights the importance of caring for your eyes and the role that optometrists play in increasing access to eye care.

During the week (17-23 March 2024), FODO Ireland called on Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to follow through on his specific commitment to move care of children aged eight and over to local optical practices.

Garvan Mulligan and Clodagh McGovern, FODO Ireland Board members, spoke on local radio and to the Irish Examiner.

Read more.

Critical skills occupation list recommendation

The Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (DETE) has recommended that optometrists be added to the critical skills occupation list.

The profession's listing would mean that optometrists from outside the EEA could apply for a critical skills employment permit rather than a general employment permit, which benefits both the optometrist and their employer.

Before being added to the list, DETE is discussing the recommendation with the Department of Health due to CORU's regulatory registration requirements.

Meanwhile, DETE has confirmed that optometrists remain eligible for the General Employment Permit, or, indeed, for the Critical Skills Employment Permit where the employment attracts a salary of over €64,000.

Read more.

Sheila McClelland appointed CORU's CEO

CORU has appointed Sheila McClelland, current CEO of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, the new CEO of the Health and Social Care Professional's Council. She will start the role on 8 April 2024.
Read FODO Ireland's response to the announcement.

CORU statistics

Optometrists comprise 993 of the 26,774 professionals registered with CORU's Registration Boards as of October 2023.
Dispensing opticians comprise 216 CORU registrants.

CORU processed 51 applications for recognition of international qualifications for optometrists and 6 for dispensing opticians in 2023.

Read more details.