Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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533. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 367 of 28 May 2025, to clarify a matter (details supplied). [31505/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides optical services free of charge to pre-school children and national school children referred from child health service and school health service examinations who are discovered to have sight problems. These children are referred to the appropriate service for treatment. In such circumstances, these services will continue to be provided until the child has reached the age of 16.

The service includes the provision an eye examination and prescribed optical appliances, such as glasses. There is a mechanism in place for children who may need a second pair of glasses to receive them. However, it is not standard practice to provide a second pair to every child that needs glasses as this would not represent value for money in the operation of the service.