Tag: PRSI

Categories
Health

Teeth, teeth, teeth..

I’m after my root canal now. I had it done this morning. I was expecting the worst as I walked into the dentist’s surgery.
It took an hour, I didn’t feel any pain but a lot of discomfort having my mouth open for so long! I was given and injection, the dentist drilled down into the tooth a bit and then started poking small rods into the tooth to clear it out. Just like clearing out a pipe!
When he was certain the tooth was as clear as he could get it, he filled the tooth with small plastic pins which he then melted into my tooth using a bunsen-burner heated instrument!
Finally, a filling was put on top, an xray taken of the tooth and I was told that the procedure went perfectly.
Then I coughed up the ridiculous amount of money dentists charge and our PRSI doesn’t cover.. I’ll have to send off that tax-relief form and hope I get some of it back!

Categories
When-in-Ireland

Wow! Congestion charging schem …

Wow! Congestion charging scheme gets Livingstone go-ahead – Motorists will be charged £5 to drive to Central London on weekdays! It’s going to be introduced on Feb 17th, 2003. I can see trouble ahead..

In related news, the penality points system due to be introduced here is in doubt because there isn’t money for the EUR11m computer system needed by the Gardai! Hear the RTE report on it.

Now that I’m over the shock of going to the dentist, I feel a rant coming on. I pay my taxes like everyone else and a part of those taxes go to PRSI, Pay Related Social Insurance. PRSI will pay for some of your medical bills, including visits to the dentist, but not always.
I’m 26 and out of college four years and working. Because I went to college and got an education, and now contribute to the economy’s tech industry, I can’t claim benefits due me. If you’re 26 or over you have to be working for at least five years to claim PRSI entitlements. Now that I need to get work done I can’t claim money back from a fund I’ve paid into for four years. It hardly seems fair. grrr

The Irish language is taught in Irish schools and is compulsory for everyone (with some exceptions). A book just published calls into question the cost to students of learning Irish. Science is only now becoming a part of the primary school curiculam. Hear the RTE interview with Dr Aidrian Kelly.