Peter Barry
Question:185 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will introduce regulations to ensure that disabled people can receive dental and optical care.
Written Answers. - Dental/Optical Care.
The Department's treatment benefit scheme, which includes dental and optical benefit, is available to insured persons and their dependent spouses who satisfy the prescribed qualifying conditions. Disabled persons who meet those conditions are also covered by the scheme.
The regulations governing entitlement to treatment benefit were amended in July of this year to provide that a certain minimum number of PRSI contributions must have been paid in a recent tax year to ensure continued entitlement to benefit. The purpose of this change was to ensure a better use of limited resources by ensuring that only those who could establish a continuing or recent attachment to the workforce through an active PRSI contribution record would continue to qualify for benefit.
Persons who are no longer in active insurable employment as a result of disablement or illness will continue to qualify for treatment benefit for as long as they meet the required PRSI contribution conditions. This would be up to four to five years after ceasing insurable employment.
I have no plans to alter the conditions for entitlement under the scheme.