Noel Ahern
Question:116 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will clarify the situation with regard to his previous announcement that a pilot scheme was being operated from 1 April 2001 by the Northern Area Health Board to give 50% grants to parents of children on the orthodontic waiting list and allow them to go private; the reason the pilot scheme has not commenced; when it will commence; if regulations and criteria can be provided; the persons who will qualify; if he will deny the rumour that the Northern Area Health Board are working on the basis that the grant would be available only for children first assessed by Northern Area Health Board orthodontists; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this action would render the initiative worthless as there is a six year waiting list for assessment and no one has been assessed for approximately one year; if he will order the scheme to commence; and the resources he has made available for orthodontists. [12697/01]