Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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796. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23562/25]

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 she has no paid or credited PRSI contributions in the relevant year(s) on which the claim is based.

An eligibility check was carried out for the person on 16 April 2025 which resulted in a disallowance letter as she did not qualify in her own right.

A spousal dependency form was submitted on 23 April 2025 and approved on 29 April 2025 as she qualified as a dependent spouse. An award letter was issued on 29 April 2025 to advise the person of this.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.