I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 to 216, inclusive, together.
The cost of providing for a restoration of the free six-monthly scale and polish treatment and contribution payments towards extended gum treatment and fillings for qualified customers under the dental benefit scheme would depend on the fees to be agreed with dental contractors for such treatments and on the numbers opting to avail of the treatments.
Approximately 2 million people are currently eligible for Dental Benefit.
In 2009, the last full year that the treatments were available under the dental benefit scheme, a total of 528,000 claims were made for the standard scale and polish treatment at a cost of €16.77m. A further 15,000 claims for a €30 contribution towards protracted gum treatment at a cost of €0.46m together with 598,000 contribution payments towards dental fillings at a cost of €20.7m were made under the scheme.