Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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293. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person who receives the State pension (contributory) is not entitled to the treatment benefit and dental benefit (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39824/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical, aural and hair replacement products and services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependent spouse/partner who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions.

To qualify for treatment benefit, the person concerned must satisfy the condition of having a total of 260 paid contributions at class A/E/H/P/S since starting work and 39 paid or credited contributions in the relevant tax years, which in this case is any year between 2014 and 2021.

The person concerned does not qualify for treatment benefit as the contributions recorded for the relevant tax years are at class M which is not reckonable for treatment benefit.

If the person concerned is the holder of a medical card, they may be entitled to treatment under the HSE scheme. They should contact their local HSE office for assistance.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.