Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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512. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to examine the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15448/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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, a person needs to have at least 260 PRSI contributions paid at either Class A, E, H, P or S, since first starting work, and also have 39 contributions paid or credited in the relevant contribution year on which the claim is based.

If a person does not have enough social insurance contributions to qualify for treatment benefit, they may qualify on the social insurance record of their spouse, civil partner or cohabitant. To avail of this option, the person must be dependent on their spouse, civil partner or cohabitant.

The person concerned does not qualify for Treatment Benefit as he has no paid or credited PRSI contributions in the relevant year(s) on which the claim is based. The person concerned does not qualify as a dependent spouse as his spouse does not satisfy the eligibility criteria in her own right.

If the person concerned has a Medical Card, they should contact their local HSE office which will advise on entitlements under the HSE scheme.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.