Written answers

Tuesday, 26 April 2022

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Departmental Schemes

Photo of Emer HigginsEmer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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1010. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will support disabled PAYE workers in need of surgical footwear with a dedicated grant scheme towards the cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19803/22]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability.  Expenditure on these supports is estimated to amount to some €4.8 billion in 2021.

In general, medical or health related benefits fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE.  However, my Department administers the Treatment Benefit scheme which provides dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits.  The medical appliances budget is spent primarily on hearing aids.  From May 2022 an additional benefit will be available - a grant towards the cost of non-surgical hair replacement to those who satisfy both medical and contribution conditions.  There is no grant available for surgical footwear under the Treatment Benefit scheme.

While I have no plans to expand the scheme further at this time, my Department keeps schemes under regular review to make sure they meet their objectives.  Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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