In general, medical or health related benefits, including hearing care, fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. However, my Department's Treatment Benefit scheme, funded by PRSI contributions, does provide certain dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of PRSI contributions. These treatments are also available to their dependent spouse or partner, if applicable.
Social insurance collected for the Social Insurance Fund via PRSI contributions plays a fundamental role in Ireland's social welfare system by providing contributors with benefits in the event of certain contingencies arising during their lives. The primary contingencies that are covered are unemployment, illness, maternity/paternity and retirement from the work force.
Under the medical appliances strand of the Treatment Benefit scheme a flat rate grant of up to €500 per aid is available every four years to purchase hearing aids. In most cases this grant is sufficient to cover the full cost of standard hearing aids. The scheme also provides €100 every four years for hearing aid repairs. The expenditure on hearing aids under the scheme has increased significantly in recent years. The total expenditure in 2025 was an estimated €30 million, compared with €11.5 million in 2020.
I have no plans to expand the hearing aid supports in the Treatment Benefit scheme at this time. However, my Department keeps its schemes and supports under review to ensure they continue to meet their objectives. Any changes to the current Treatment Benefit scheme would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context, taking into consideration the sustainability challenges facing the Social Insurance Fund.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
