Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will deal with the following matter (details supplied) regarding a hearing aid grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19746/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department's treatment benefit scheme is a PRSI-based scheme, available to customers who meet certain PRSI conditions, including having:

(a) at least 260 paid contributions (at Class A, E, H, or P) since first starting work; and

(b) for people aged 60 or over, 39 contributions paid (at Class A, E, H, or P) or credited in the governing contribution year at the time of either their 60th or 66th birthday.

While the person concerned has satisfied the first condition, he was self-employed from the age of 55, and so paid Class S PRSI which does not count towards treatment benefit. As a result, he does not satisfy the second condition and does not qualify for the treatment benefit scheme. As he is a medical card holder he may be entitled to assistance through the HSE's hearing aid scheme. Accordingly he should contact his local HSE office who will be able to advise him of his possible entitlement.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 258: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the consequences of the restriction to an annual examination on the dental treatment benefit scheme; if she will restore essential treatment such as scaling, cleaning and periodontal treatments as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19747/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As part of a range of cost-saving measures to ease the pressure on the Social Insurance Fund, the range of treatments available under the treatment benefit scheme was reduced in Budget 2010. As a result of these changes, savings of over €70m are projected on the expenditure in 2011 compared to 2009. The free dental examination is still available to all qualified customers to encourage them to continue attending for regular checkups which will assist in the early detection of dental-related health issues. While the treatments available under the scheme will be kept under periodic review, consideration of any changes to the scheme would have to reflect the economic realities of available funding and competing priorities.