asked the Minister for Health whether it is his intention to make regulations providing for extended dental, ophthalmic and aural services as envisaged by Section 21 of the Health Act, 1953, and, if so, when.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dental, Ophthalmic and Aural Services.
In reply to a question by Deputy Kenny on 19th June last, I went very fully into the problems connected with the extension of local authority dental services to the middle income group as provided in Section 21 of the Health Act, 1953. As I explained in that reply, cost is the main reason why dental services cannot be extended now or in the near future to the middle income group. For the same reason, I cannot see any likelihood of ophthalmic and aural services being extended to that group in the immediate future.
Pending the extension of these services under the Health Act to the middle income group, qualified insured persons in that group are eligible for benefit under the Department of Social Welfare's scheme of dental, ophthalmic and aural benefits.