Mr. Fintan Hourihan:

Yes. That was the PRSI scheme. Changes were also made to the medical card scheme and there were two aspects to this. These were the cut in fees to dentists and the severe restrictions on the range of treatments provided to the patient. In fact, in terms of the consequences, the restriction on the range of treatments was far greater. Obviously, dentists are unhappy that their fees were cut. From the point of view of patients, however, the severe restrictions were greater. Previously, it was an open-ended scheme with certain treatments explicitly provided for. Two changes were made. It moved to a capped or budget-led scheme. It was a demand-led scheme and it is now a budget-led scheme. Changes were also made whereby some treatments that were previously covered automatically are no longer covered, or some are still available but dentists must seek approval or permission, which is sometimes given and sometimes not. The FEMPI consequences for the two schemes were many and varied but the consequences for patients, as was said earlier, mean an increased number of presentations with far more advanced difficulties.