Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 548: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will review the qualification scheme for dental benefit whereby a spouse who has not enough contributions in their own right cannot benefit through their qualifying spouse unless their income is below a very low threshold; his views on whether the current situation is unfair to part-time working spouses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1320/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The treatment benefit scheme operated by the Department of Social and Family Affairs provides a range of benefits in dental, optical and aural treatment for qualified PRSI contributors and their dependent spouses. The availability of the benefits is subject to certain PRSI contribution conditions. The PRSI contribution classes which qualify for treatment benefit are classes A, E, H and P. A spouse is entitled to treatment benefit based on the insured person's PRSI record as long as he or she has gross earnings of €76.18 or less per week and is not in receipt of any benefit or allowance from the Department or a health board, other than carer's allowance, disablement pension, supplementary welfare allowance or child benefit.

If the person was dependent on his or her spouse prior to entering or resuming insurable employment at class A, E, H or P, he or she would continue to qualify for treatment benefit on the spouses PRSI record until he or she qualified for treatment benefit in his or her own right. This special measure particularly benefits lower income spouses. The operation of the dental benefit scheme is subject to ongoing monitoring by the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the question of further improvements is a matter for consideration in a budgetary context and in the light of available resources.