Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will seek to have the budget changes to the dental treatment benefit scheme, which resulted in the cost of dental services increasing by 14.6%, reversed. [15490/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Treatment Benefit Scheme offers assistance towards the cost of Optical and Dental Treatment and the provision of Hearing aids. The scheme is paid from the Social Insurance Fund (SIF). Although the SIF has operated a surplus since 1996, this position began to change last year, and expenditure had to be partially funded from the accumulated Exchequer surplus. It is estimated that, by the first half of 2010, the Exchequer will be required to subvent the SIF by over €1 billion.

The expenditure pressures on the Fund will continue in the near future. Therefore, the most pressing needs right now are to ease the pressure on the SIF and to get the public finances back on track. As part of a range of cost-saving measures, the Dental Benefit Scheme has been amended for 2010.

The treatment available under the scheme has been limited from 1 January 2010 to a free Dental Examination. The continued provision of the free examination will not only help identify routine dental problems but also more serious health issues. Its continuation should encourage people to continue attending for checkups, and help address the concerns expressed about the general dental health of the public.

In 2009, the Department provided some 418,000 free Dental Examinations and current trends in 2010 indicate that a similar number will attend for the free examination this year.

Regarding the potential increases in consumer costs, in 2009 the Department paid an average of €84 for each Dental Benefit claim. As the Department will continue to pay €33.50 for each Examination, this represents an average potential increase to customers of just over €50 per year.

The reported potential 14.6% increase in the cost of dental treatment is also largely predicated on dental prices remaining at 2009 levels. However, there appears to have been a significant increase in competition in the dental care market in Ireland in recent months. Within a short period of the announcement of the scheme changes, one major dental chain announced a price cut of 30%, and the Irish Dental Association subsequently announced that its members would either freeze or reduce their prices. These developments, and several publicised price cuts since then, are to be welcomed as they will help make dental treatment more affordable for consumers.

Tax refunds are available from the Revenue Commissioners for certain kinds of more expensive dental treatment. The significantly increased number of people with Medical Cards are also covered for treatment through the DTSS dental scheme operated by the Department of Health. These forms of cover, along with the retention of free Examinations and enhanced competition, mean that routine dental care should remain affordable and general oral health in Ireland will remain good.

The changes made to the dental benefit scheme will provide significant savings to the Exchequer in 2010. The Treatment Benefit scheme will be reviewed prior to the next budget, when a decision on its future structure will be made taking account of the prevailing economic circumstances at that time.