The original Society, The Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists of Ireland, was formed in the early 1970’s by professionals working in or connected with audiology in Ireland at that time, including ENT Consultants, Educationalists and the National Association for the Deaf. It is worthy of note that the Treatment Benefit grant for hearing aids was introduced in 1977 by then Minister for Social Welfare Mr. Charles J Haughey.
In 1987 the Society as we know it today was born as a limited company and memoranda and articles of association were drawn up at a meeting attended by eight practitioners.
In two years its numbers grew from eight to twenty members and in 1989 the Society held its first open meeting. Members at that time qualified for entry to the society by sitting the Membership Examinations of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (BSHAA), which used the same curriculum as that required for the Hearing Aid Council Examinations in the UK. Courses leading to the examinations were organised by the British Society of Audiology and BSHAA.
Membership was also open to persons who had M.Sc.’s in Audiology or who had attained the British Association of Audiology Technicians (Part 1 and Part 2) examinations and other UK recognised audiology qualifications. At a later stage ISHAA facilitated invigilated BSHAA Membership Examinations at Trinity College in Dublin for candidates seeking membership to the Society.
Both ISHAA and BSHAA maintain a strong relationship to this day.
In 1995 the Society rewrote its constitution and changed its name to the Irish Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists. The membership increased further in subsequent years to eighty in 2003. In 2003 ISHAA were instrumental in organising the two year University College Dublin Diploma Course in Hearing Aid Audiology ( Dip HAA). This course was repeated in 2005- 2006.
In 2008 ISHAA organised another Hearing Aid Audiology Certificate course in All Hollows College in Dublin. The Society was involved in developing the European Standards for Hearing Aid professionals , a pan European standard which was adopted by the NSAI ref. I.S EN 15927. The society currently has over 260 members and continues to grow year on year. Today the society members include clinical and hearing aid audiologists working in the profession of hearing aid prescription and aural rehabilitation.
Mission Statement:
ISHAA are dedicated to maintaining exceptionally high standards of quality professional hearing care and aftercare by ensuring that the standards of practice are maintained by continuous professional development. In doing so the most recent advances in hearing aid hearing aid technology are provided thereby preserving, protecting and enhancing hearing and further more upholding the highest professional and ethical standards.
