John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will sanction the provision of chiropody and ophthalmology services to diabetes patients free of charge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25314/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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There is no statutory obligation on the Health Service Executive (HSE) to provide chiropody services; however in practice arrangements have been made in several regions to provide these services, primarily to people who are medical card holders aged 65 years and over.

Optometric services are provided, free of charge, to adult medical card holders under the terms of Section 67(1) of the Health Act, 1970. There are no plans at present to extend these services to any particular group based on a particular medical condition.