asked the Minister for Social Welfare the annual cost of the present dental services for social welfare recipients; and the estimated increased cost of providing these services for dependants of social welfare recipients.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dental Benefit Scheme Cost.
81.
The cost of the dental benefit scheme administered by my Department in the past three years was £725,000 in the year ended 31st March, 1971, £836,000 in the year ended 31st March, 1972, and £1,001,000 in the year ended 31st March, 1973. No reliable estimate of the increased cost of extending the scheme to include the dependants of qualified insured persons can be made.
Would the Minister consider looking into that aspect and making an estimate of what it would cost?
Yes.