Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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230. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason credits are not applied in the case of widower's and widow's payments for the purpose of availing of dental and optical benefits; her plans to amend the status quo in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8513/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Credited contributions (credits) can be awarded where a worker has a gap in their insurance record as a result of their absence from the workforce for reasons of, for example, unemployment, illness, or due to a statutory leave eg. maternity. Receipt of a social welfare payment, such as a widows pension, does not in itself automatically result in the award of credits and it is not proposed to change the position in this regard.

In relation to Treatment Benefit (TB), if a person is qualified for TB in their own right or as a dependent adult, based on their spouse/partners PRSI record at the time of their death, they will retain this entitlement until their circumstances change in relation to their marital/relationship status.

It should be noted that the award of credits alone would not confer entitlement to TB as the person would require a combination of paid and credited contributions to qualify.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.