Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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221. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the grant assistance that is available to a person (details supplied) in receipt of a State pension non-contributory who requires two hearing aids. [14821/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The treatment benefit scheme, which includes provision for a grant towards hearing aids, is based on PRSI contributions. There are two main qualification criteria for someone the age of the person concerned;

- The first is that they must have paid at least 260 qualifying PRSI contributions since first starting work. The person concerned meets this condition.

- The second is that they must have at least 39 such contributions paid or credited in the years immediately before they turn either 60 or 66 years of age. Records indicate that there are no PRSI contributions recorded as paid or credited for those years. As a result the person concerned does not meet the second condition, and so does not qualify for treatment benefit.

If he has a Medical Card he should contact his local HSE Office about their parallel hearing aid scheme.