Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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293. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if an application for an eye test examination will be granted for a person (details supplied). [36120/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Treatment benefits scheme is based on PRSI contributions; currently only PRSI paid at Classes A, E, H, or P are reckonable for this scheme. There are two main conditions to be met to qualify:

- The customer must have paid at least 260 Class A/E/H or P contributions since first starting work, and:

- The customer must have at least 39 such contributions paid or credited in 2014, the relevant tax year, (or, alternatively, as in this case, in 2010 – the relevant year when the customer turned 60).

According to the Department’s records, this customer has paid a total of 126 A/E/H or P contributions since first starting work and does not, therefore, meet the first condition above.

In both 2014 and 2010, he paid PRSI at Class S, which does not currently count towards this scheme; therefore he does not meet the second qualifying condition either.

As the customer does not meet the qualifying conditions, he is not eligible for this benefit. However if he holds a medical card, he should contact his local HSE about their parallel scheme and his possible entitlements under that scheme.