Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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428. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on whether the criteria to receive PRSI treatment benefit is resulting in the discrimination of young persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19023/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Entitlement to treatment benefit is based on having paid PRSI contributions, with customers required to have a certain number of PRSI contributions paid or credited in order to qualify. The number of contributions required varies with age, to take account of the capacity of the person concerned to have paid the required contributions. For example, a customer aged 20 needs a total of 39 qualifying PRSI weeks paid, while someone aged 30 needs 260, plus 39 in the governing contribution year (which this year is 2016).

The contribution conditions applying to the scheme and the precise age at which the conditions change are kept under review. I also wish to assure the Deputy that all PRSI contributions paid are retained on the customer’s record and even if they are not sufficient to provide treatment benefit cover at present, they will help towards the provision of cover in the future.

I trust this helps clarify the position.