Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

This is one of the budget cuts of which people are not yet terribly well aware. It seems extraordinary that the Minister has changed the rules in a manner that drastically cuts the entitlements of those who have been paying into the social insurance fund for 25, 30 or 40 years. A lot of trouble is coming down the track in this regard. The word has not got out terribly well yet. As people try to make appointments with dentists and opticians, they are starting to discover that the Minister has interfered with their entitlements to this extent. I would like to ask the Minister about the specific abuses that are the subject of the question before the House. What was the largest number of claims to be made by an individual practice during the period between budget day and the end of the year? Does the Minister have any penalties at her disposal? What sanctions can she impose on practices that have engaged in this kind of abuse?

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