Chime The National Charity for Deafness and Hearing Loss Information

For over fifty years, we have championed for equal rights, greater accessibility and opportunities for individuals with deafness and hearing loss. Since our inception as the National Association for the Deaf, we have changed our brand name twice to reflect our evolving advocacy campaigning - DeafHear in 2007 and, as of 1st November 2018, Chime. While our name has changed, our focus and values have not. We remain dedicated to a society where deafness and hearing loss doesn’t hold back an individual’s potential, personal choice or quality of life. Our nationwide resource centres provide access to services, social workers, mental health professionals, resources, assistive technologies, as well as access to a community promoting social inclusion, events, and more. Our success stories include: • Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) • Rubella Vaccine mandatory for all children • Access to Emergency Services via Text Message • Specialist Nationalist Mental Health Service for Deaf people • NAD/UCD Aural Rehabilitation Course • NRB (HSE) Audiology Service • Department of Education & Skills Disability Act • Family Support Service • News for the Deaf on RTE in Irish Sign Language with Deaf newscasters • Subtitling services on television – now more than 80% of programming subtitled • First Irish Sign Language Dictionary and Sign Away in Ireland • Signed Performances at theatres and venues • HINTS (RTE Teletext Service) • SignLink • Deaftech (Assistive Technology) • STEP – Deaf telephone users rebate scheme • National Text Relay Service operated by Eircom