Written answers

Tuesday, 20 April 2010

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Insurance

9:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 654: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if optical and dental benefit will be available to those who paid PRSI for 2007 and 2008 in view of the fact that the criteria for eligibility for same was based on contributions for that period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15140/10]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To qualify for treatment benefit you must satisfy certain PRSI conditions. A person aged 25 to 65 must have a total of 260 paid PRSI contributions since first starting work and either (i) 39 paid or credited PRSI contributions in the relevant tax year on which the claim is based OR (ii) 26 paid PRSI contributions in both the relevant tax year and the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. The relevant tax year is that which falls two years prior to the year in which the claim is made. As such, a person applying for Treatment Benefit in 2010 would be required to have a total of 260 paid PRSI contributions since first starting work, and either (i) 39 paid or credited PRSI contributions in 2008, OR (ii) 26 paid PRSI contributions in both 2008 and 2007. Therefore, a person who had paid sufficient PRSI in 2007/2008, and who also had sufficient PRSI contributions paid since first starting work, would qualify for Treatment Benefit in 2010. The benefits currently available under the scheme are, from January 1 2010, limited to a free Optical and Dental Examination, together with a grant towards the cost of Hearing aid appliances.

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