Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I have had to repeat every single answer I have given Senator Doherty. I said cutting it for one year would have no long-term impact. Indeed, the international trend is for governments not to get involved at all in funding dental care except for those who cannot provide it for themselves, who will be covered by the medical card. I accept there are not many benefits for a worker under the PRSI system while he is still working. It is a valuable scheme but it is purely for financial reasons in making the saving for this year that we are doing this. We have worked to maintain the key elements of it.